


I Do Not Want Your Heart

by Violet_Tempest



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Aobajousai, Aobajousai Kageyama Tobio, Fluff, Gen, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Iwaizumi Hajime is Bad at Feelings, Jealous Iwaizumi Hajime, Jealous Oikawa Tooru, Kageyama Tobio Swears, Kageyama Tobio is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Multi, Music, Oblivious Kageyama Tobio, Oikawa Tooru is Bad at Feelings, Piano, Slow Burn, Songwriting, The Author Regrets Nothing, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 132
Words: 165,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27605135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Tempest/pseuds/Violet_Tempest
Summary: I want to forgetI want to be freedFrom this pain that consumes meHe had buried his emotions so deep that he could no longer feel them. Carefully, continuously, building the walls higher and higher...until he could no longer see the people beside him.You broke me apartPiece by pieceTearing out my heartIt was laughable how easily it came crumbling down. A single sentence from his soulmate had him breaking down. He had never screamed and cried so much in his life, and the release had been piercing to his soul.It all came crashing downMy tears have dried outOnly emptiness is leftAre you happy now?
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kageyama Tobio & Aobajousai Volleyball Club, Kageyama Tobio & Kindaichi Yuutarou, Kageyama Tobio & Kindaichi Yuutarou & Kunimi Akira, Kageyama Tobio & Kunimi Akira, Kageyama Tobio & Kyoutani Kentarou, Kageyama Tobio & Original Character(s), Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 1266
Kudos: 2914





	1. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s different in Miyagi,” he stated. 
> 
> It was different in Miyagi. Everything he ran away from was in Miyagi, and he was scared—terrified— to face them. The very prospect of confronting his past and his soulmates had him trembling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. I hope you all enjoy my first work on AO3.

_Ceaseless nights_

_Chasing sleep_

He was haunted by nightmares. He saw their faces every night. Hours upon hours spent running in circles of his own creation...only to be wrenched awake by the crippling, all-consuming fear that eventually overtook him. 

_Waking up and realizing_

_I’m all alone_

_Is there something wrong with me?_

Neither his mother nor his soulmates wanted him. 

_Was I a mistake?_

Without a word of logic or reason, they had turned their backs and abandoned him. 

_Why did you leave?_

He resented them. If they had come into his life only to hurt him, he wished he had never met them. Maybe then, he would not hate himself so much.

_I want to SCREAM_

_I am haunted by the memories of you_

Because they had treated him well at the beginning. He remembered the gentle eyes and bright smiles directed at him once. He remembered the soothing voices and gentle touches. He remembered the ease he felt simply being in their presences. 

The memories only drove him into deeper despair… he could not recall them without seeing their cold gazed and hateful words.

_I want to forget_

_I want to be freed_

_From this pain that consumes me_

He had buried his emotions so deep that he could no longer feel them. Carefully, continuously, building the walls higher and higher...until he could no longer see the people beside him.

_You broke me apart_

_Piece by piece_

_Tearing out my heart_

It was laughable how easily it came crumbling down. A single sentence from his soulmate had him breaking down. He had never screamed and cried so much in his life, and the release had been piercing to his soul.

_It all came crashing down_

_My tears have dried out_

_Only emptiness is left_

_Are you happy now?_

* * *

“You’ve just heard the new hit single by XX Group. Its songwriter and composer is a new name in the industry, KING,” the radio announced, and Tobio almost cringed at the stage name.

He understood his uncle’s intentions in choosing that name, but he wished the older man had chosen a different one. It was a constant reminder of the failures in junior high.

“Akihiro-san is a sadist,” he mumbled quietly, left arm propped against the car door and head resting on his hand.

It did not go unnoticed by his manager, who he could hear chuckling at the driver seat to his right. “I doubt Akihiro-sama wants to hear that from you.”

He glanced at the man, scowling when he noticed Tadaaki-san had an amused smile gracing his lips. “You’re rather rude for a manager,” he commented.

“I’ve known you for seven years, Tobio-sama,” came his smooth reply. “I’m certain you wouldn’t fire me simply for a few casual remarks.”

He scowled further at that, not able to retort his claims. 

Tobio had met Tadaaki-san at the beginning of his third year in elementary school. At the time, the older man had long, silky brown hair that had to be tied into a low ponytail. His onyx eyes held a gentle gaze as he greeted the young boy, the soft smile on his illuminating his already-fair complexion. 

It had taken a few weeks for him to warm up to the elder, not trusting his easy-going and friendly personality. He eventually won the young boy over when he helped Tobio sneak out of the house to go see a volleyball match.

In the years since, Tadaaki-san has not changed much. His personality was still as irritating as ever and he maintained a youthful appearance despite approaching thirty six years of age. The only difference between them and now was his hair, which had been cut into a short bob that emphasized his sharp jawline.

“You’ve become arrogant.”

“I’ve learned from the best,” the manager replied, winking at him.

Irritated beyond hell, Tobio focused his attention onto the road instead, watching the scenery passing by. It had been months since he had last been in Miyagi, and the neighborhoods brought on a sense of familiarity.

“It hasn’t changed at all.”

“It wouldn’t change in only a few months,” Tadaaki-san answered him.

“I know. It’s just...strange.”

After the disaster that was his final junior high volleyball match, Tobio had been sent away to Italy by his uncle. How Akihiro-san managed to convince the school to allow him to graduate despite the excessive absences was beyond him, but his uncle said that it was a necessary experience for him. A chance to relax and come to terms with… _everything._

“You’ve been in Japan for a few weeks now,” the man beside him said.

“It’s different in Miyagi,” he stated. 

It was different in Miyagi. Everything he ran away from was in Miyagi, and he was scared— _terrified_ — to face them. The very prospect of confronting his past and his soulmates had him trembling.

“You’ll be fine,” Tadaaki-san reassured him softly. “You are strong, Tobio-sama.”

“I heard Kentarou was attending Aoba Johsai,” he quickly changed the subject, unable to discuss it further.

“He is.” Tobio was grateful the older man did not pressure him further.

“I was thinking of going there as well,” he continued. “It would be nice to spend more time with my cousin.”

“He's part of the volleyball club.”

“I know.”

“Your teammates from junior high will be there as well,” Tadaaki-san warned him.

“It’s not like I’ll be seeing them often,” Tobio said dryly. “Besides, my volleyball career ended in junior high.”

It was bitter to acknowledge the fact, but nothing could be done to change it. A grimace surfaced as he glanced at his left leg, a car crash assuring that he would never be able to run with the limb again. 

“Well, not that it matters much anyways,” he continued, massaging the leg as it started to ache slightly. “It was an unhealthy obsession.”

“Tobio-sama…”

“I’m upset about it, but it was probably for the best.”

“I know better than anyone how much volleyball meant to you. It’s fine if you can’t accept it.”

His eyes began to burn enough that he turned his head to face the window again. And because he could not handle the sudden surge of emotions inside of him, he said, “It’s weird when you act like a proper adult.”

“I _am_ a proper adult,” Tadaaki-san said, affronted.

“Could have fooled me.”

“You little brat,” he scowled.

The corner of his mouth tilted slightly as he listened to Tadaaki-san’s grumblings. He might find the older man insufferable, but it was probably— _maybe_ —because of him that Tobio had not given up on himself. 

Not that he would ever tell the man that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the comments, please tell me how you felt about it. I love the IwaOiKage Soulmates AU, but I wanted to try something different from all the ones currently out there. 
> 
> I will try to post at least once a week. Feel free to tell me what you would like to happen in the story as well (I'll need the inspiration).


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll be fine, Akihiro-san,” he assured him. 
> 
> “You said the same thing in junior high,” the older man’s voice was strained, “and then I had to watch as you broke down crying and screaming in front of me.”
> 
> Oh. Oh. He had not realized how much that moment had affected his uncle until now. With his personality, he was probably blaming himself for not knowing sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys will like this chapter. I had a hard time thinking how I would transition from the first chapter to the rest of the story. I had to rewrite this chapter two several times, so I am very satisfied with this chapter.

_He was surrounded by darkness. It gave no room for light, relentless and consuming in its existence. Blinded from all sides, Tobio could do nothing but stagger around._

_“Do you think you’re so special?” a mocking voice taunted. “Do you think you’re actually_ worth _something?_

_A shudder ran down his spine, and he whipped his head around to see his mother. Her blue eyes were sharp and cold as she glared at him, her mouth forming a disapproving frown. She was dressed in a loose white blouse, her black pencil skirt having been paired with black heels. A cigarette was held between her fingers, and he watched as she brought her hand up to take a puff._

_He flinched as she approached, stepping backward with every step she took forward. Click, clack. Click, clack._

_“You were always a mistake,” she continued. “I regret giving birth to you. Every. Single. Day.”_

_“Did you think you could be loved?” a new voice asked. It was deeper, smoother than his mother’s. A male’s voice._

_He turned around when his back collided with a hard chest, and he peered over his shoulder to see Oikawa-san. Beneath the dark brown hair, there was condemnation in those dark brown eyes. A smile, cold and empty, was painted across his lips. He was wearing a volleyball uniform, the one from Kitagawa Daiichi._

_Tobio stumbled over his feet, trying to get away from the two figures approaching him… only for his shoulder to be grabbed by an unknown hand._

_Iwaizumi-san’s hand tightened around his shoulder when he tried to escape, his green eyes covered by the shadow of his dark, spiky hair. “Where do you think you’re going?” He had on the same Kitagawa Daiichi uniform as Oikawa-san._

_“P-please let me go,” he stuttered as fear threatened to consume him._

_His plea went ignored as he was rooted to his place, only able to watch as the other approached. By the time his mother jerked his chin up to meet her eyes, he was trembling so hard he was surprised he could still stand._

_“You were always a burden,” his mother sneered._

_A hand—Oikawa-san’s—snaked around his throat, squeezing slightly. “It would be so much better if you could just...disappear,” he said. His hand tightened until Tobio was clawing and gasping for breath._

_“If only you would die,” his mother snarled._

_She took a puff out of her cigarette, taking it out of her mouth and slowly bringing the butt to his face._

_As the blazing pain seared his skin, he opened his mouth into a silent scream—_

* * *

He wrenched himself out of his bed, cold sweat dripping down his back as he ran to the bathroom. His stomach emptied itself the moment he stuck his head down the toilet.

“Damn it,” he groaned as the last of the bile came out, tears stinging his eyes.

He washed his mouth after that, catching a glimpse of his appearance in the mirror. Dark circles and bloodshot eyes. A sick pallor. He looked absolutely haggard. 

Tobio scrubbed violently at his face before drying off with a towel.

He arrived in his room as soon as his phone began to ring. Checking the caller ID, he saw that it was his uncle.

“Good morning, Akihiro-san.”

“Morning, Tobio,” the man returned. “How have you been feeling?”

He swore his uncle was psychic sometimes. “I had a nightmare just now,” he confessed. “Other than that, I’ve been fine for the most part.”

He put the phone on speaker mode, making his way towards his closet to change into his uniform. It consisted of khakis with dark brown detailing and a cream colored vest layered on top of a lavender button-down shirt. The look was completed with a dark red tie and white blazer. 

“You don’t have to go today,” his uncle suggested.

“It’s the first day of school, Akihiro-san,” he said dryly, pulling up the pants. “I kinda _need_ to go.”

“Then I’ll have Tadaaki drive you.” 

“No.” 

Knowing his uncle, Akihiro-san would have Tadaaki-san drive with a Lexus. The last thing Tobio wanted was to attract attention—he wanted to have a peaceful and quiet high school life. Being driven to school in a luxury vehicle would not accomplish that goal.

“But—”

“No,” he repeated, pulling the vest over his head. He quickly secured the tie around his neck and put on the white blazer. “Besides, I’ll have Kentarou with me.”

“That doesn’t reassure me in the least,” Akihiro-san stated blankly. “The last time you two went to school together, I had to apologize to _several_ parents for their children bleeding to death.”

“You’re exaggerating. And it was those kids’ faults,” he argued.

“Uh-huh, and I suppose it was their fault that you held those kids down while Kentarou beat them with his fists.”

“It was sixth grade,” he grumbled.

“Having you and Kentarou attend the same school could only end in disaster.”

“You’re worrying too much.”

“I don’t worry enough.”

Tobio rolled his eyes. His uncle had always been overprotective of him ever since he acquired custody. It had only intensified as he grew up. At this point, he could have a scraped knee and the older man would rush him to the hospital.

“I’ll be fine, Akihiro-san,” he assured him. 

“You said the same thing in junior high,” the older man’s voice was strained, “and then I had to watch as you broke down crying and screaming in front of me.”

Oh. _Oh._ He had not realized how much that moment had affected his uncle until now. With his personality, he was probably blaming himself for not knowing sooner.

“That wasn’t your fault, Uncle,” Tobio told him softly. “It wasn’t something that you could have prevented.”

“I understand that, but understanding and accepting are two different matters.”

“I really am fine, though,” he laughed slightly. “All thanks to you, Aunt, Kentarou, and Tadaaki.”

“Okay then…” Akihiro-san conceded. “But if anything happens, you _will_ tell me about it.”

“Of course.”

The call ended a few minutes after his uncle questioned whether he had adjusted to his new home.

Tobio breathed out a deep sigh. “I really am a fool,” he mumbled aloud.

During those months, he had not realized how worried his family had been about him. All he could see was his own pain and misery, devoting his time and energy to resenting the people who could not give a damn about him. He had not even bothered to pay attention to the people who did care about him.

He quickly made his way downstairs to make and eat breakfast, leaving the house in the nick of time.

On the way to school, he made a silent promise to himself: regardless of his soulmates and past, he would be happy. 

For the family who loved and worried about him.

For all the time he spent pitying himself.

For his younger self as well, who had not known what it meant to be loved.

But most of all, for his current self, who deserved at least that much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was very happy with the positive feedback I received from all of you. 
> 
> Do you guys like the pace of this so far? Do you like where this story is going? Please comment your opinions, it really does help me with writing the story.
> 
> I know I said I would post once a week, but it really depends on how much inspiration I have at the moment. So the schedule with which I update will probably be very irregular, but I promise that it will be at least once a week.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve been gone for four months and this is how you welcome me back,” Tobio drawled, squeezing harder.
> 
> “Sadistic motherfucker!” With great effort, Kentarou finally managed to free himself. He was massaging his head when he said, “You should have stayed in Italy for four more months.”
> 
> “What a warm and touching welcome home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I had so much fun writing the interactions between Tobio and Kentarou.

_Spring came in a rushing tide_

_I met you and everything came to life_

_Your eyes_

_Your smile_

_All of it seemed to shine_

_And loved bloomed inside of me_

Tobio tried to pay attention—he really did—but hearing the song he wrote playing on the school speakers made him embarrassed beyond belief. So much so that he could not resist the urge to bury his head inside his hands, trying desperately to calm the blush that was no doubt spreading across his face.

He must have looked awkward, because a girl sitting beside him had to ask, “Are you okay?”

Turning his head, he saw that she had a concerned expression on her face. “I’m fine,” he mumbled, straightening in his seat and trying to focus on the entrance ceremony.

He failed.

_Suddenly I forgot_

_What was my life before you?_

_Yesterday seems so far away_

_I can’t eat_

_I can’t sleep_

_You’re a constant presence in my mind_

_I wish you would never leave_

Taking pity on his misery, the speakers finally cut off the song as the principal stepped up to the stage to welcome the incoming students. A moment further and Tobio would have combusted on the spot.

He spent the rest of the ceremony in relative peace and calmness. Although he was disappointed when he was unable to find his cousin among the crowd, he was relieved that he could not recognize any familiar faces from junior high among the people surrounding him.

His disappointment, however, quickly disappeared when he saw Kentarou waiting for him after the speeches were over and done with.

“I see you’ve returned from exile,” he greeted, an arrogant smirk on his lips. 

“I see you still have that ridiculous hairstyle,” Tobio returned smoothly. “And I went to Italy of my own accord, thank you very much.”

Kentarou was the same as ever. He still had the same menacing and hostile appearance with his honey-brown eyes, eyeliner emphasizing their sharpness. The bleach, short-cropped hair with two black lines running across the sides of his head and perpetual frown did nothing to help. Despite that, he found comfort in his cousin’s unchanging nature.

He fell into step beside the shorter boy as they followed the crowd towards their classes. “My hair is awesome,” his cousin said, scowling. 

Tobio snorted. “Keep telling yourself that.” 

Pain bloomed at his side as an elbow jabbed into his waist. Clutching the spot, he glared at the perpetrator, who gave an innocent shrug. “You deserve it.”

“Like hell I do,” he hissed, squeezing his cousin’s head in a claw grip.

“Let go of me, you bastard,” he demanded, clawing at the offending hand.

Both of them had stopped walking, moving to the side so as to not block the other students. Well, it was more accurate to say that he dragged his cousin by the head, but details are irrelevant. 

“I’ve been gone for four months and this is how you welcome me back,” Tobio drawled, squeezing harder.

“Sadistic motherfucker!” With great effort, Kentarou finally managed to free himself. He was massaging his head when he said, “You should have stayed in Italy for four more months.”

“What a warm and touching welcome home.”

At those words, his cousin deepened his scowl. “How did you even get into this school? I thought you were stupid.”

“Like you’re any better!” Tobio yelled.

“At least I’m smarter than you!”

“Don’t kid yourself. You almost failed fifth grade!”

“ _I_ wasn’t the one who had to take summer classes every year.”

“Because you bribed the smart students into doing your homework!”

“Allegedly,” he stressed. “There’s no proof.”

“I _saw_ you give them money. You even offered to pay for my silence!”

“ _Proof_.”

“The principal called Akihiro-san to complain about it!”

Both of them stared at each other before bursting into laughter, earning sideways glances from the people around them. It was always like this whenever they were together, exactly why Akihiro-san had been so worried about them attending the same school. Even the mildest comments can have them breaking into arguments that end in fights.

“You’re as irritating as ever,” Tobio said once he caught his breath.

“Love you too,” was the response he got.

“Whatever. What class are you in?” he asked as they started walking again.

“2-1.”

“1-5.”

“Otou-san probably requested it.”

The two classes were so far apart that it practically ensured that they would not be able to cause any trouble. Tobio could not really blame his uncle. He figured the older man was tired of being called into school to deal with the teachers’ lectures by now.

He could still remember the time Kentarou had hung a kid from a tree in fourth grade when the kid made fun of Tobio for not having parents. He had helped his cousin, of course, taking part in tying the kid securely with a rope. He then climbed onto the tree with the rope, holding it in his hands and jumping down from the branch. His weight lifted the kid off the ground and Tobio had handed the rope to his cousin, who then proceeded to drop the kid. Several times.

When the teacher found them, she had been horrified. The kid had peed his pants and was crying uncontrollably. His uncle had been called in, was forced to apologize profusely to the principal and bowed down to the mother of the kid. Neither he nor Kentarou apologized, and the kid never dared to speak to them again. None of the other kids dared to, in fact, once they found out what had happened.

Recalling the memory, Tobio said, “It’s probably for the best.”

Kentarou snorted. “Well, my class is here,” pointing to the classroom. 

“I’ll see you at lunch,” he waved his cousin goodbye as he made his way to the room at the very end of the hallway. 

“Rooftop?”

“If you can get it to open.”

Tobio was one of the first to enter his class, and he quickly searched for his seat on the seating chart. He was pleased to see that it was right beside the window at the very back of the room. This way, he would not be forced to socialize with his classmates. The very thought made him shudder.

He immediately put in his earbuds, playing one of the melodies he had been in the middle of composing. Propping his arm on the desk and resting his head on his hand, listening to the music and jotting down areas where he could make improvements.

By the time, the bell had rung, everyone was already seated and Tobio had to take out his earbuds. He glanced around to see who he was seated next to him for the upcoming week and his wandering eyes met those of dull brown.

His head slowly rose from where it rested on his hand and his mouth fell open in surprise as saw the person who would be sitting to his right. The student’s dark hair was parted straight down the middle and he had a lean, muscular build despite being quite thin. His delicate features expressed the same surprise.

But before either of them could say a word the teacher already called for them to stand.

It was just his luck that he would be seated next to Akira Kunimi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems that Tobio is very unlucky. Only the very first day and he already has to face one of the people from his previous junior high.
> 
> In the comments, tell me how you thought about Tobio fighting with Kentarou and about their adventures when they were younger. 
> 
> This has been my favorite chapter so far, and I just find it so funny that Tobio would be embarrassed about hearing the song he wrote 😂.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment the bell rang to signal the end of class, he slid open the glass and practically dove out of the room. He had no idea where he was going, but anywhere was better than there at the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is: another chapter. I think that chapter four is the start of me laying the groundwork for how much Tobio's past is impacting his present. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

Class went as well as he would have expected after that, with Tobio refusing to direct his gaze to the right. He barely paid attention to the teacher’s introduction, only standing up to introduce himself, and his eyes constantly darted to the clock on the wall. Forty minutes have never felt so long.

It certainly did not help that Kunimi was staring a hole into him. He could feel the other boy’s burning gaze and it only served to make him even more uncomfortable. It was to the point that he was fidgeting in his seat, hands clasped tightly together and feet tapping the floor.

In the midst of this, he was trying desperately to formulate a plan as to how he would get out of this mess. It was not an option to run—his leg would not allow it—and it was impossible to get to the door without crossing paths with Kunimi. Not to mention, it would only get more awkward if he chose to stay in his seat and ignore the other boy. He eventually came to the conclusion of using the window; they were on the ground floor so it would pose no risk to climb out of the classroom that way.

And he did.

The moment the bell rang to signal the end of class, he slid open the glass and practically dove out of the room. He had no idea where he was going, but anywhere was better than there at the moment.

Setting a brisk pace that would not strain his leg, he somehow managed to find the room Kentarou was in. Fortunately for him, the window was open and he could see his cousin scowling in the corner.

“Kentarou,” he called out, catching said boy’s attention.

“What are you doing there?” he was asked. “Can’t you come into the class like a normal person?”

“It was an emergency.”

The words had his cousin raising an eyebrow. “What kind?”

“I met someone I knew from junior high,” Tobio answered, shoving his cousin out of the way so he could climb into the classroom. “My seat is right next to his.”

Kentarou, the motherfucking bastard, snickered. “What kind of shitty luck do you have, Tobio? It’s only the first day.”

Tobio scowled at the amusement etched in his expression. “You’re lucky there are so many witnesses around. Otherwise, I would have bashed your head into the wall by now.”

“I’d like to see you try,” he retorted. “I’m stronger than you.”

“You’re also slower than me,” Tobio pointed out. “Don’t get so cocky now.”

“Coming from someone who ran away through a window?” questioned Kentarou, crossing his arms.

“I prefer calling it a timely escape,” was his reply.

“Whatever.”

“Let me stay in the classroom for the passing period,” he told his cousin. 

“No way.”

“I wasn’t asking.”

Kentarou grumbled irritably. “You should stop running away.”

“I told you: it was a timely escape,” he repeated. “I’m biding my time.”

Tobio himself knew he would have to actually talk to Kunimi eventually, but not now. Besides, that would lead to the other boy questioning why he was no longer playing volleyball. He was not ready for that conversation yet. Although he had accepted it already, it was still bittersweet to acknowledge the fact.

“Biding your time. Sure.”

“Anyways,” he said, changing the subject, “are you planning to try out for the volleyball club?”

His cousin narrowed his eyes to indicate that he knew what Tobio was doing, but only answered with an, “Of course.” 

“Try not to get along with your teammates this time,” he advised, remembering his own shortcomings in that aspect.

“You should talk to the guy,” Kentarou returned.

“I know,” the words strained.

He stayed until the bell signaled them to return to class. Tobio was greeted with curious stares upon his entry, his classmates no doubt questioning why he had jumped through a window, but ignored them as he made his way to his seat. He also made a conscious effort to not let his eyes wander as he sat, lest he make contact with the owner of those brown eyes that had him so nervous to begin with.

Kentarou’s words echoed in his head, but knowing and doing were entirely separate matters. Especially since that moment during junior high had been the breaking point for Tobio.

He could still recall it vividly.

He tossed the ball up...only for it to land on an empty court. His teammates turning their backs on him—a complete and cold rejection. Just like his mother. Just like his soulmates. Sitting on that bench, it was a sign that he was no longer needed. And the worst part: he was completely void of feeling.

The events that followed were a blur to him. He did not remember how or when he came home, but he could remember the worried expressions from his family. Tadaaki-san, because he was Tobio’s family, had been the most concerned. 

_“I’m fine,”_ he had told him.

_“You’re not fine,”_ Tadaaki-san insisted.

Tobio had slapped away his hand. _“I said I’m fine!”_ It came out broken and weak, and his own voice burst open something inside of him. With his family spread around him, he had collapsed onto his hands and knees, crying and screaming. All he could hear was the deafening sound of his own pain and misery. 

It was only hours later, when his tears dried and he had no voice left to scream, did he register the warmth engulfing him. Tadaaki-san, his aunt and uncle, even Kentarou had him locked into a tight hug. His aunt had been shaking, crying along with him, and his uncle had a pained expression. Surrounded by them, he calmed down, realizing that he was not alone. 

Tobio was snapped out of his thoughts by the bell, indicating that the class had ended. He had not even realized when the teacher stepped into the classroom.

“Kageyama.” Shit. _Shit._ He had been so caught up in the past that he forgot the reason why the memories came back in the first place.

Kunimi had an indecipherable expression, causing Tobio to school his own to be void of emotion. “It’s been a while, Kunimi.” It came out more strained than he intended.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” 

“I have to meet with my cousin,” he rejected, standing up from his seat. “Sorry.”

“Wai—”

He did not wait. Tobio walked out of the door, refusing to hear another word from the other boy. 

Not yet. He was not ready yet.

So what if he was running away? Sometimes, running away was the only way to move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to follow a similar format in future chapters, giving little hints and moments into Tobio's past. 
> 
> I saw that some of you were confused about Tobio. Yes, he is a musician--a pianist, to be exact. You'll see more of that in the future. He's also a songwriter and composer. The lyrics you saw in previous chapter were parts of his songs.
> 
> Also, I saw that some of you wanted a KageHina friendship. I never thought about including that in here because I didn't see how it could fit, but if you're interested, comment below if that would be something you want to see. I'll try to incorporate it into the story somehow.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this update. The support I've received from this story has been amazing, and I can't thank you guys enough.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobio took pity on his uncle. He figured the older man would have to deal with enough, considering Kentarou was...Kentarou. Akihiro-san might very well collapse if he had to deal with him too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. This chapter is mostly just Tobio talking with Kentarou. I don't even think it affects the story much, but I just love writing their interactions.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“What’s got you in such a bad mood?” Tobio asked his cousin when he stepped onto the roof. 

Similar to him, Kentarou had an unreadable expression most of the time. More often than not, the frown or scowl, paired with his sharp eyes, on his face made him appear angry even if he was not. They had always been able to discern each other’s mood despite what was presented on their faces, and it was clear to Tobio that his cousin was actually irritated at the moment; his brows were furrowed slightly and his frown was tighter than usual.

“If anything,” he continued, “I should be more irritated than you.”

“Wipe that smirk off your face,” Kentarou growled, tearing at the plastic bag containing his sandwich.

“Did you already get in trouble with the teachers?” he guessed, not bothering to his amusement.

His scowl deepened, indicating that he hit the mark. “Every single one of them was bitching about my hair. Like I fucking care what they think. It’s my hair.”

“What did you expect? Bleached hair is against the dress code.”

“You have no room to talk,” his cousin snarled, grabbing at his ears to where his piercings were.

A week or so after he arrived in Italy, one of his neighbors had introduced him to a tattoo parlor that also did piercings as a service. It had been on impulse when he declared that he wanted a piercing. His uncle, who had been accompanying him so that he could familiarize himself with the neighborhood, had looked at him in horror. The older man eventually allowed it because he was scared Tobio might have done it himself if he did not approve of it, and it was better for the piercing to be done in a professional setting rather than in the bathroom at home. 

After the car crash, Tobio had been in a desperate need for a change of pace and the piercing provided the perfect opportunity. Surprisingly, stabbing a hole into his ear was, somehow, freeing. So much so that he got several more, totalling to three on his right ear and two on his left and one in his tongue.

The tongue one had not been because he wanted it—Tadaaki-san had been provoking him and he had gotten it just to spite the geezer. A bed decision, it hurt like hell.

“How have you not been called out for it?” Kentarou asked. “You can see the piercing in your tongue whenever you talk.”

“I don’t talk in class,” was his reply, “and I took out the piercing in my ear this morning.”

“Won’t they close up if you don’t have something in them?” his cousin asked, taking a large bite out of his sandwich.

“They don’t close that easily,” he answered, taking a bite out of his own food. “Besides, I’ll put the earrings in again after school.”

“What’s the point of not wearing them in school then? Sounds like a hassle.”

“The point is to not have Akihiro-san have a heart attack from stress.”

Tobio took pity on his uncle. He figured the older man would have to deal with enough, considering Kentarou was...Kentarou. Akihiro-san might very well collapse if he had to deal with him too.

The only one he did not take off was the one on his tongue. After getting used to it, it felt weird not having it in his mouth. It did not matter much either, because the only person he really talked to in school was Kentarou.

“Should I wait for you to finish with the volleyball club?” Tobio asked.

“Nah,” his cousin declined. “It’ll make you uncomfortable, won’t it?”

“What makes you think that?”  
  


“You old teammate are probably trying out too, aren’t they?” his cousin pointed out.

“So what?” he questioned with a tilt of his head. “I’m waiting for you, not them.”

“You’ll run into them, won’t you?”

“As long as they don’t try and talk to me, I’ll be fine. And I doubt any of them would.”

Kunimi had not bothered to try to talk to him again after the refusal that morning, something that relieved him immensely. He really did not know what he would do if he had to think of an excuse to decline him every time. Tobio could use Kentarou as an escape route, but that would risk Kunimi trying to find out who his cousin was. And if his cousin found out that he was being bothered, Kentarou would not hesitate to pick a fight. A fight would then lead him to getting suspended, preventing him from playing volleyball and forcing his uncle to come into school to apologize. Again. It was really better for everyone that Kunimi chose to take the hint and leave him alone.

“You’re weird, Tobio,” his cousin commented.

“How so?” he asked, slightly offended. It was not as though he said anything strange.

Kentarou gave him a strange stare before mumbling, “Nevermind.”

“Tell me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Tell me!”

“No.” Irritated, Tobio delivered a punch into his cousin’s stomach. “What the hell was that for, you bastard?” he choked out, coughing.

He shrugged innocently. “You deserve it.”

“Like hell I do,” he growled.

“Do you want me to wait for you?”

“No.”

♚♚♚

It was later that evening, after he had just finished his shower and was cooking his dinner when his phone rang. It was his uncle.

“Hello, Akihiro-san?”

“Could you wait for Kentarou until his practice ends from now on, Tobio?” his uncle asked, straight- to-the point. 

“Why?” a suspicious tone in his voice.

An exhausted sigh. “Kentarou caused some trouble during practice.”

“Is...that...so?” He was barely containing his laughter.

Tobio knew Kentarou had an even harder time socializing than him. When they were in elementary school and played for the same team, his cousin had been annoyed at the upperclassmen who used their age to get the two of them to what they wanted. At the time, he knew he would be overpowered by kids three years. So instead of confronting them head-on, he took the chance to spike the volleyballs into the upperclassmen’s head during practice and official matches.

Now that he had the strength to beat even his upperclassmen, there was no telling what he would if he got annoyed.

“What did he do?” Tobio asked, covering his mouth in an effort to contain his laughter.

His uncle was not as amused as he was. “He nearly punched one of the upperclassmen. Said he was annoyed with the guy’s smirk.”

Tobio could not help it—he burst into laughter. “It’s only the first day.” He could not stop laughing.

“Shut the fuck up, you bastard,” he heard his cousin faintly in the background.

“Watch your mouth, young man,” his aunt scolded.

“Well, can you do this for me, Tobio?”

“Um...yeah,” he wheezed. “I’ll do that.”

His uncle thanked him before hanging up, and he still could not stop laughing. 

He was suddenly very grateful that he thought of attending Aoba Johsai. Even if he was uncomfortable at the prospect of meeting his old teammates, his cousin was enough for him to forget all his discomfort.

Rather than fear the people who could care less about him, Tobio preferred to find comfort and amusement with the people who did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I was reviewing some scenes from Haikyuu to build Kentarou's interactions to the the team, and I suddenly realized he was a second-year? Since when? And how did I miss this fact? Because of that, I'll have to change a few minor details about the story. Only a little bit here and there though, so the story won't change at all.
> 
> Yes...I made Tobio have piercings. I don't care what any of you say, I always wanted to imagine how Tobio would look with piercings and this was the perfect chance to write it into reality.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed more glimpses into his past with Kentarou.
> 
> Also, I'm sorry for any gramatical errors, I don't think they should affect your understanding of the story though. I only realize in the last chapter.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobio had always been scared—terrified—of becoming like his mother. He did everything possible to not resemble her. So when he realized he was exactly like her, it had broken him.
> 
> His obsession with volleyball had blinded himself to everyone around him. He forced everyone to comply with his wishes. Just like a tyrant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time thinking how to write this chapter, but here it is. This is probably the deepest we've gone into Tobio's past so far, so I hope you guys enjoy.

His mother was a vain and materialistic person, cursed with an obsession for attention and wealth. She resented her humble upbringing, always believing that she was destined for more. Even when she gave birth to the child of a millionaire, it was not enough. Her aspirations were limitless, and they were a burden to the people closest to her.

Tobio had known it best—especially when he began to show talent in the piano. From the moment the first praise was spoken, his mother had clung onto it. She entered him into countless competitions, made him endure endless hours of practice, and was never satisfied even when he won the top award. It became too much, and he eventually lost all the passion he had for the instrument.

Her anger at his refusal to play manifested itself into a brutal form of punishments. Locking her own son in a closet for days on end, insulting him at every mistake, sometimes even slapping him when he misbehaved. 

Tobio had always been scared— _terrified_ —of becoming like his mother. He did everything possible to not resemble her. So when he realized he was exactly like her, it had broken him.

His obsession with volleyball had blinded himself to everyone around him. He forced everyone to comply with his wishes. Just like a tyrant.

That was why, when the car crash happened, he had been slightly relieved. It made him pause for a moment, it allowed him to think. It opened his eyes to how deeply this fear was embedded in him. And realizing it, it gave him the chance to begin the process of healing.

* * *

“Do not come to my practice,” Kentarou warned him over the phone.

“You called me at 6 in the morning for this,” he snarled. “You’d be lucky if I don’t kill you.”

He was _not_ a morning person. Tobio had previously forced himself awake at the crack of dawn to run to maintain his figure for volleyball; now that he was no longer playing the sport, he saw no point in torturing himself to wake up early. And he did not appreciate being woken up just to be threatened.

“I mean it, Tobio,” his cousin said with equal hostility. “Come to my practice and I swear I’ll deck you.”

“Go to hell,” were his last words before he promptly hung up.

He glared at the incessant sunlight streaming through the cracks in the curtains, scowling when he knew he would not be able to go back to sleep. It did not stop him from trying though, burrowing into the cocoon of blankets on his bed. 

He was going to murder Kentarou. And he would make sure the body would not be found. But before all that, he was going to torture his cousin. Slowly. Very, very slowly.

When he finally accepted that he would not be able to go back to sleep, he reluctantly rolled out of bed and quickly got changed. He cooked up a quick breakfast and left the house for school. All in the span of thirty minutes, ten of which was him trying to get out of bed.

Tobio did not miss the text his cousin sent him: _I mean it._

He only snickered at the threatening words. There was a reason his uncle asked him and not anyone else to babysit Kentarou. Although his cousin was stronger than him, he always had the advantage in matters like this. It came in the form of blackmail, hundreds of embarrassing pictures and videos documented since their childhoods. All of it saved on a flash drive that only he knew the location of.

Let his cousin try to deck him, he would be sure to return the damage tenfold. A sinister smile painted his lips at the thought and he pulled out his earbuds to listen to a radio station.

One of his songs, _Brighter Skies,_ was currently being played.

_On the horizon you’ll see_

_All the flowers miles wide_

_Blooming so vibrantly_

_Open your eyes_

_When you’re not drowning in misery_

_Even the darkness seems to shine_

_Stars glowing all across the night_

_Brighter skies are ahead_

_You just have to look_

He had written it the moment he was approved to leave the hospital after the car crash. It had been the first song that was published, and he was glad it was one of healing and not pain.

He originally had no intention of publishing any of his songs. It was his uncle, the CEO of an entertainment company, that convinced him to. Although he had his reservations, Tobio could not say he was upset about it, he had gotten a shitload of royalties from selling his songs after all. It had also been nice to see that he, who was always criticized for being insensitive, could touch people’s hearts through his lyrics.

He arrived at school slightly early, and he chose to go straight to his class rather than wait for Kentarou. Knowing his cousin, he would only receive more threats of bodily harm.

It was unfortunate for him that he was greeted by the sight of Kunimi _and_ Kindaichi in deep discussion outside of the room. It was official—the universe fucking hated him.

Tobio tried to get into the classroom without the two noticing, hoping they would be too absorbed in whatever they were talking about. Keyword: tried. Both of them made eye contact with him, their conversation forgotten as he got closer.

Well, shit. He should have pretended to be busy on his phone. 

In an attempt to avoid the awkward atmosphere that was now slowly creeping up on them, he nodded a greeting and moved to enter the classroom...only for Kindaichi to call out to him. 

He glanced over his shoulder, not bothering to take out his earbuds. 

“Um…”

“What?” he demanded, turning around to face them.

He winced slightly, not intending to sound hostile. Honestly, Tobio blamed his cousin for this. If he had not been woken up so early, he would not have arrived so early. He would not have crossed paths with his previous teammates from junior high. He would not be stuck in the awkward situation. 

Definitely. Everything was Kentarou’s fault.

“Well.” Kindaichi ran a hand down the back of his dark hair that was always stuck straight up. His dark eyes flitted nervously as he continued, “I...didn’t see you at tryouts.”

He _really_ did not want to have this conversation. “That’s none of your business,” he stated, crossing his arms.

“Wha—” Students started to file in as the bell rang, cutting whatever Kindaichi was going to say short. “Can we talk to you after school?”

“I have to run an errand,” he told the other boy. “Sorry.”

He went to his seat, ignoring the burning gazes directed at the back of his head. 

Great. Just great. This day could not possibly get any worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of the chapter was very difficult for me, but I think I ended it well enough for it to transition into the next chapter.
> 
> I already fixed all of the details about Kentarou's age (I reread Haikyuu at least four times already, I have no idea how I didn't know he was a second year). It changes nothing about the chapters or story, it was literally just minor details.
> 
> After reading your comments, I will go with my original intention to not include Hinata.
> 
> Finally, I don't know if I'll be able to post two chapter tomorrow as I've been doing so far (I'm writing this on 11/19, but I'll try my best.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He called his cousin, fed up with the texts. “You realize your threats are useless, right?”
> 
> “I will kill you.”
> 
> “This only makes me more determined to go,” he stated. 
> 
> “Kyouken-chan,” a very, very familiar voice called. “You’re not supposed to be on your phone during practice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, guys. The seventh chapter. I have no words for this one--you'll understand when you read it.

Tobio slept for nearly all of his classes, the result of him being forced to wake up early. His teacher had tried to get him awake to pay attention to the lesson. Tried and failed because he was a deep, deep sleeper. Not that he cared much, considering most of the subjects taught in school would be useless for someone who wanted to pursue music.

“Ito-sensei looked like he was going to kill you,” Kunimi told him when he woke up for lunch. 

He gave a sideways glance to the other boy, debating whether he should respond. “...He’s the math teacher, right?”

It was better for him to maintain a relatively civil relationship if they were going to be sitting next to each other every day. And Kunimi was the better option than Kindaichi. His former teammate was quiet and reserved most of the time, and he would not feel the need to bother Tobio too much. Especially after he had made it clear he did not want to talk.

A nod from the other student. “You might have to watch your back this year,” Kunimi said. “He seems to be the strict type.”

“So long as I pass, he shouldn’t complain,” was his reply.

He dug in his bag for his bento, something he prepared that morning because he was early and did not feel like walking to the cafeteria to buy lunch. It was a simple meal consisting of rice, karaage, and some vegetables. Without hesitation, he began stuffing his face.

“Won’t you have trouble?” he asked. When he tilted his head in question, Kunimi clarified, “You failed most of your tests in junior high.”

“Well, yeah,” he agreed. “I was focused on volleyball so I spent all of my time practicing instead of studying.”

Despite what many others would say, Tobio was not stupid. He could achieve good grades if he bothered to pay attention in class and to spend his time studying. His memorization skills were above average, after all. The only reason he never did well in school was because he never tried.

“You...won’t be joining the volleyball club this year?” 

He tensed at the word, taking a few moments. “...Is that a question?” 

Kunimi should have already realized it when he did not attend tryouts yesterday. He would have never missed it if he intended to join. Even if they were not friends, it was obvious that he had been obsessed with the sport.

“...No. I was just...surprised.” The other boy seemed to struggle for the right words.

“Aren’t you relieved?” Tobio asked bluntly.

The question caused the dull-eyed boy to snap his mouth shut. When he realized he would not receive an answer, Tobio only went back to eating.

He had not asked that question to be spiteful, though it might have sounded like that, but he was genuinely curious. Last time they were standing on the same court, his team had made it clear they would rather do anything than play with him. Why Kunimi was so concerned whether he would join or not was a mystery to him, and one he could not find it in himself to bother solving.

The rest of his day was uneventful, other than more threatening text messages from his cousin. He ignored all of them, but he did find it strange. Kentarou was being too adamant about this. This was not the first time his uncle asked him to do something like this, and although he did not enjoy it, he accepted it nonetheless.

When he was on his way home—he was _not_ going to wait hours just to accompany his cousin from practice—Tobio received another message: _Just fucking try to come here._

He called his cousin, fed up with the texts. “You realize your threats are useless, right?”

“I _will_ kill you.”

“This only makes me more determined to go,” he stated. 

“Kyouken-chan,” a very, _very_ familiar voice called. “You’re not supposed to be on your phone during practice.”

_Fucking hell_ . Tobio had completely forgotten about Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san. _Fuck._ He was going to be sick. How could he have forgotten? How the hell did he forget that his _soulmates_ were in the same club as his cousin? 

“I’m just finishing up,” he heard his cousin grumble.

“I’ll...see you later, Kentarou,” he barely managed to get the words out.

“Wai—”

He did not bother to listen to his cousin as he hung up, rushing home in case he actually threw up. It was fortunate for him that he was already arriving at his apartment complex. 

Tobio slammed the door shut the moment his body was inside. His first destination was the bathroom. Not because he was going to throw up, but because he needed to snap out of his state of shock. He splashed ice-cold water onto his face, taking several moments for the bite of it to actually register in his brain.

“Shit,” he mumbled. “ _Shit, shit, shit._ ” 

An image of Tadaaki-san flashed in his mind, and he could hear the older man instructing him. _“Take a deep breath, Tobio-sama.”_

It irritated him that that face was the first thing that popped in his mind, but he took a deep breath nonetheless. In and out. In and out. In and out. He continued doing that until he finally managed to calm his mind and organize his thoughts.

The likelihood of running into them were high. He could hide until Kentarou came out, but two days of school was not enough for him to familiarize himself with the building. Disguising himself was also an option, but he would risk being mistaken for a suspicious person—that would only draw more attention to him.

Tobio considered listening to Kentarou, but he had already promised his uncle and the thought of listening to his cousin made him more sick than actually going. He could already see the bastard’s smug expression.

As he began formulating his plans, he changed out of his uniform and into more casual clothing. He also put in his earrings. On his right ear, there were two rings on the top curve and a small, sapphire stud on his lobe. On his left ear, he had the same studded pair on his lobe and a ring on the center of the curve. 

He spent the time he had left trying to figure out how to avoid his soulmates, coming up with nothing by the time he had to leave. 

He could only pray to the universe that he would not run into them. Or if he did, he hoped they would ignore him.

When Tobio arrived at school, he could already see volleyball players leaving the gym. None of them were Kentarou though, so he was forced to look around for him by the gates. His cousin would not sacrifice his practice time to pick a fight, but after practice was free game. 

The whole time, he kept repeating the same words in his head: _Do not run into them, do not run into them, do not run into them._ Over and over again.

Unfortunately for him, the universe fucking despised him. If he was not sure before, he was sure now.

He felt like a noose tightened around his neck as someone called his name. “Tobio-chan?” It caused his entire body to freeze in its place, and he had to force himself to turn towards the voice.

Tobio was met by a brown wide-eyed stare as he gritted out, “Good evening, Oikawa-san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY FINALLY MEET AGAIN! OH MY GOD! 
> 
> Writing this chapter had me on edge the whole time because I knew exactly how I wanted it to end. Even Tobio talking to Kunimi had me on edge because I was trying to write the dialogue so that there would be tension between them. 
> 
> I've noticed that I usually post a chapter between 12 and 2 pm, and another at around 9:30 pm. So you should look for updates around that time, but I make no promises that it'll always be like that. I just have a lot of ideas about the plot right now.
> 
> Hope you guys don't curse me for this cliffhanger--the suspense! I'll probably be able to post another chapter tonight.
> 
> Look forward to it ;)


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Wha-what...are you doing here, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san stuttered out. The setter was taller now, his dark brown hair still swept outwards in the same style as junior high, his build more muscular.
> 
> Tobio schooled his expression to be void of emotion, clenching and unclenching his fist. “I’m looking for someone,” he answered slowly, the words heavy on his tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter eight was so difficult to write. I really tried to capture the awkwardness and tension that would come with a situation like this.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

_Eyes cold_

_You turn and walk away_

_Not even a look back_

_Without a single regret_

_Leaving me wondering, drowning in feelings_

_Won’t you give me a reason?_

_Any is fine_

_I just need_

_A way for me_

_To accept this pain inside_

_Won’t you give me a reason?_

_Just one is enough_

_Just one is enough_

_Just one is enough_

_Or am I not even worth that much?_

* * *

Tobio was eight years old when his mother lost custody of him after the court declared her an unfit guardian. His aunt and uncle adopted him shortly after, not trusting the orphanages to take care of him properly.

Over the years, they had done everything possible to assure him that he did not deserve any of the violence he suffered at the hands of mother. It had worked, too, because by the time he was in junior high, he could barely recall any of it.

It was in junior high that he met them. He had not known they were soulmates then, only that the two of them were soulmates. Practically everyone in the school knew. They complimented each other so perfectly that no one would have guessed there was a missing link to their bond. Tobio certainly did not.

He had respected them if nothing else. Oikawa-san in particular because the upperclassman played the same position as him. He admired how the older setter could draw out so much potential in his teammates, and was envious of the strength of his serves. The other boy also had the communication skills that he lacked. He respected Iwaizumi-san because of the wing spiker’s caring nature. The upperclassman often took time out of his own practice to help the freshman with their own. The vice-captain also had the ability to reign in Oikawa-san whenever the captain became too self-absorbed. 

That had been it—he had held no romantic thought about him. And they definitely held none for him.

It had been an accident when they realized it. Searing pain was the only thing he could remember from that moment, and it had taken him nearly an hour to calm down enough to walk home. The two of them had stayed beside him the entire time, but neither of them said a word about the bond. He did not talk about it either, only bidding them a goodbye before rushing home.

Neither he nor them discussed it the next day. Or the day after that. In fact, they never brought it up again. However, he found himself paying more attention to the two upperclassmen. It was not long before admiration turned into...something—an emotion he did not know or recognize. It terrified him.

When Tobio eventually decided to talk to them, it had been a mistake. He had probably caught Oikawa-san on a bad day. At least, that had been what he had convinced himself, because he did not want to believe his soulmate would raise a hand against him.

Memories of his mother, memories that he thought he had forgotten, came back in broken pieces. He saw a dark room, a woman screaming at him, and a bloodied hand. 

If Iwaizumi-san had not interfered in that moment, he probably would have been hit. He was sure of it.

He had been called after practice the next day. What came of that meeting was what he had been expecting: A complete rejection. Iwaizumi-san did not even look at him as he explained that they could not accept them into _their_ bond. Oikawa-san had stood behind the wing spiked, eyes cold and emotionless.

Tobio did not even shed a tear. He went home and acted completely normal. Numb to it all.

He thought about putting up a permanent block—the only reason he did not was because of Tadaaki-san, the only person he told about the rejection. The older man had warned him about the consequences of taking such drastic action and he quickly rid himself of the thought. 

Tadaaki-san taught him about temporary blocks, something soulmates did whenever they did not want to feel each other’s emotions. And he put them up every time he had practice. 

He did not talk to either of them beyond what was necessary for the remainder of the year. He sent them off along with all the other players during graduation, hiding in the very back. Even when they would cross paths during matches, he always made an excuse to be elsewhere.

He had avoided them at all costs. But through a very unfortunate coincidence, the very person he had been avoiding was now standing in front of him, staring at him like he was a ghost.

“Wha-what...are you doing here, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san stuttered out. The setter was taller now, his dark brown hair still swept outwards in the same style as junior high, his build more muscular.

Tobio schooled his expression to be void of emotion, clenching and unclenching his fist. “I’m looking for someone,” he answered slowly, the words heavy on his tongue.

“Is that so,” the upperclassman whispered. 

The urge to _run_ was overwhelming him, regardless of the damage it would cause. It only increased when he heard another familiar voice.

“Oi, Shittykawa! What the hell are you doing just standing there?”

Tobio really was going to throw up now as he made eye contact with Iwaizumi-san. His dark hair was as spiky as ever, and his green eyes widened upon seeing him. Two more people accompanied him, but Tobio paid no attention to them, too focused on his soulmates.

“Kageyama,” the spiker breathed.

Was it too late for a meteor to hit? _Anything_ for him to escape this situation.

“What are you doing here?” he was asked for the second time.

Oikawa-san answered for him, still looking at him in disbelief. “He’s looking for someone.”

He took a step back, about to turn and run when Iwaizumi yelled, “Wait!” stopping him in his tracks. “Are-are you okay?” the upperclassman asked, fingers digging into his palms.

The question had him whipping his head back. “What?” he whispered.

“Are...you okay?”

“What?” he said again, having no idea where the question came from.

“Are you okay?” Iwaizumi-san repeated.

“I’m...fine?” He was still confused.

“Oh. I see.”

“Huh?”

“You kinda disappeared for a while,” Oikawa-san explained. “We were worried something might have happened to you.”

“Worried?” 

“Yes, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said, rolling his eyes. “Worried.”

For some reason, the act fueled an unknown anger inside of him. As it came bubbling to the surface, he was about to explode when he heard his cousin. “What the hell’s going on?” 

Tobio finally realized exactly why Kentarou had been so adamant against being picked up after practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think about this? I don't think awkward even begins to describe this situation. I had trouble writing this scene, but I am so happy about how it turned out. It was exactly as I imagined it would be.
> 
> For those who were asking, I'm in Central Standard Time.
> 
> Also, in the first chapter, I wrote it so that Tadaaki knew Tobio for three years, but I'm going to change that. They would have met when Tobio was in third grade, when he was adopted by his uncle.
> 
> I'm posting this chapter a little late, but the extra time was totally worth it for me. Comment what you thought of this chapter below.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou only scowled as he tried to push away his hands. “It’s nothing.”
> 
> “This isn’t nothing!” Tobio shouted. “You can’t say it’s nothing when it looks-looks-looks-looks like that!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. I'm sorry I'm a little late--homework sucks.
> 
> I also had a bit of trouble making this chapter, but I did it. Hope you enjoy.

Completely disregarding his soulmates, Tobio marched over to where his cousin appeared from, his stomach dropping as he got closer. Grabbing Kentarou’s head, he jerked it to the side to confirm his suspicions.

“What happened?” he demanded.

Right on his check, a bruise was coloring his tanned skin. It was grotesque purple, slightly swollen, and with yellow splotches here and there. It nearly took up the entire left side of his face. He could imagine the pain just by looking at it.

Kentarou only scowled as he tried to push away his hands. “It’s nothing.”

“This isn’t nothing!” Tobio shouted. “You can’t say it’s nothing when it looks-looks-looks-looks like that!”

He was so worried that he could barely string together a coherent thought. Something like this could not be called an accident. No matter how someone looked at it, this injury was clearly caused by malicious intent. 

“Who the hell did this?”

“You grabbing my face is only making it hurt more,” his cousin stated. 

Tobio immediately dropped his hands. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, looking down. He had not wanted to hurt his cousin, but his body was moving faster than his brain could think. 

Kentarou sighed, reaching up to pat his head. “”This is why I didn’t want you to come,” he stated. “I knew you would react this way.”

“Well, obviously!”

“I’m really fine, Tobio!”

“Kentarou!” he yelled, clearly distressed. His cousin was _not_ fine. “Don’t fucking lie!”

“Calm down, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa told him, a concerned expression on his face.

Tobio had forgotten he was there, too focused on his cousin’s injury, and immediately stiffened when he made his presence known again. 

“How the hell am I supposed to calm down?” Oh god, this was bad. His emotions were all over the place, and he did not know how he would react if the upperclassman unknowingly pushed him too far. 

His cousin noticed his increasingly panicked state, because the other boy grabbed his wrist. He pushed Tobio behind him so that there was a wall between him and Oikawa-san. “I’m sorry, Oikawa-san, but Tobio isn’t in the right mind at the moment, so I’ll be taking him home.”

Kentarou was probably glaring at Oikawa-san (he could not see his face) because the setter backed off immediately. “U-um, sure,” the older boy stammered out.

“Wha—” Tobio was pulled along as Kentarou dragged him away. “Wait. Kentarou.”

“I’ll tell you later,” his cousin assured him. “You should be more worried about yourself right now.”

He shut his mouth at the words, because his cousin was right. In a normal circumstance, he would not have reacted so violently. In a normal circumstance, he would not have caused such a scene. But the stress caused from meeting his soulmates again, paired with the shock of seeing his cousin injured, had made him explode. 

He finally managed to calm down by the time they reached a convenience store. When his cousin changed the direction they were going he did not know. 

“Feeling better?” Kentarou asked, handing him a water bottle from his bag.

Tobio took a big gulp before nodding. “Yeah.”

“It’s not like you to overreact like that,” his cousin commented, watching him carefully. “Was it really that bad seeing your old teammates?”

“It’s not because of that,” he mumbled. “And don’t try to avoid the topic! How did you get that bruise?”

“I was spiked in the face by a volleyball during practice.”

“That lie might have worked on Akihiro-san but you can’t fool me,” Tobio stated.

A volleyball could not have caused it to bruise like that. At most, it would have caused a bit of redness that would have disappeared by now. 

“You’re stubborn,” Kentarou complained.

“So are you.” He handed the water bottle back to his cousin. “Now, spill.”

His cousin rolled his eyes at the order, but complied nonetheless. “One of the upperclassmen tripped me, and I fell on my face.”

“On purpose?”  
  


Kentarou nodded, and anger surged through him. “He apparently didn’t like my attitude.” He added, “I really am fine though. The nurse said I didn’t have a concussion and that the bruise should be gone in a few days.”

“What happened to the upperclassman?” he all but snarled.

“Suspended. He’s not allowed into the volleyball club anymore.”

“Why didn’t you tell Akihiro-san?” Tobio demanded. 

“What’s he going to do?” Kentarous asked. “Otou-san can’t do anything. Besides, it ended alright. The captain and vice-captain intervened before I could get myself suspended. It won’t affect my ability to practice, so I’m satisfied.”

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san?” he asked.

His cousin nodded. “How did you know?”

“They had the same positions back in junior high.”

Tobio really wished he could hate his soulmates—it would make everything so much easier—but he could never bring himself to actually do so. Knowing they had helped his cousin only made it harder, because he would be forced to accept the fact that they were good people by nature. 

He knew this beforehand. He had always been watching them after all. They always took care of the underclassmen in the volleyball club, always stayed after practice to clean up when everyone else had already left, always showed the utmost respect to the teachers and coaches. 

It only made their rejection more depressing.

Was it really his fault that he was rejected? 

Was there something wrong with him? 

Was he just a mistake they were cursed with?

Those questions would circle his mind on days when he was simply unhappy with himself. He could not do anything against the doubt that would slowly creep in.

Tobio breathed out a deep sigh. “Let’s go home,” he told his cousin.

“My house?”

“Yeah. I miss Mizuki-san’s cooking.” His aunt made the best meals.

“She’ll berate you for not visiting sooner,” Kentarou warned, leading the way.

“I don’t doubt it.”

Tobio had decided to live separately from his family when he returned to Japan. It was only because the walls in his family’s house were thin and it would be impossible to practice the piano without the neighbors complaining about noise. His aunt had objected the most to it, and he only managed to convince her after assuring her that he would visit every weekend.

The only problem: he had not had the chance to visit since he moved out. It has been three weeks since he last saw her, and he had no doubt she was furious with him.

“Do you think I’ll survive?” he asked Kentarou.

“Not my problem if you’re killed,” was the response he got.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who says that he should have exploded at him, don't worry. I promise Tobio will give them what they deserve in the future.
> 
> I made this chapter so that Oikawa and Iwaizumi is made aware of Tobio and Kentarou's relationship. It's important to the story after all.
> 
> What did you guys think about this chapter? I love that it shows more of how protective they are of each other.


	10. Chapter Nine: Kentarou’s Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou did not know the relationship between his captain and his cousin, but he knew Tobio was uncomfortable. He did not care if the person was an upperclassman or not, he would be damned if he let his cousin stay in this situation any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to write how Kentarou reacted when he saw how uncomfortable Tobio was, so here it is.
> 
> Sorry that it’s kind of a repeat.

Despite what others might say about his cousin, he knew Tobio was sensitive to people’s emotions and thoughts. 

That was why Kentarou knew exactly how he would react if he saw the bruise, which was _very_ noticeable. In fact, it was impossible to miss unless the person was blind. So he had threatened his cousin the entire day even though he knew the younger boy would not listen.

He had expected his cousin to pick him up. What he had not expected was for Tobio to be confronted by the captain and vice-captain of his volleyball club.

Knowing his cousin’s history with past teammates, Kentarou quickly rushed to get him out of there.

“What the hell’s going on?” he demanded, a sense of protectiveness surging through him upon seeing the younger boy’s paling complexion.

His cousin’s pallor turned even more fully at the sight of him, and he watched as Tobio stormed his way towards him. 

“What happened?” he all but shouted.

Kentarou scowled slightly as his head was jerked to the side so that his cousin could get a better look. He tried to push the other’s hand away, but the grip on his face only tightened.

“It’s nothing,” he told Tobio, hoping to calm his worries.

It was the wrong thing to say because his cousin began yelling, “This isn’t nothing! You can’t say it’s nothing lag when it looks-looks-looks-looks like that.”

Stammering was a tell-tale sign that Tobio had lost control of his emotions. It was a habit he developed when they were younger.

“Who the hell did this?” Tobio demanded.

Kentarou might have laughed, might have poked fun at him, if his cousin was not seriously panicking at his injury. 

“You grabbing my face is only making it hurt more,” he told the younger boy.

It was not exactly a lie—the bruise really did ache a little at his touch—but he felt guilty once he saw the look on his cousin’s face. It resembled the expression of a kicked puppy.

“I’m sorry,” and he sounded so dejected that Kentarou could not help but pat his head.

He sudden recalled a memory from their childhood that was eerily similar to this moment.

It had been when he was in fourth grade, a few months after his father had adopted Tobio into their family. By that time, both boys had already grown attached to each other, the only time they spent separated being during class. 

He had been climbing a tree during recess when he lost his footing and fell. Tobio, who had been warning him that he was going to get hurt, cried the moment he hit the ground.

_“I-I t-t-told you!”_ his cousin had wailed. _“W-why d-d-d-didn’t you l-listen t-to me?”_

Kentarou had felt guilty then too. Even though he had been the one to break his leg—which hurt like hell by the way—his cousin had cried so much that not even the teachers could stop him. The younger boy was still crying when the ambulance came to take him to the hospital.

It was only after he returned him in crutches and an hour of patting his head did Tobio finally stop.

Kentarou sighed at the memory. “This is why I didn’t want you to come. I knew you would react this way.”

“Well, obviously!”

Seeing that Tobio was only becoming more and more distressed, he assured again, “I’m really fine, Tobio.”

“Kentarou!” It was somewhere between a whine and scream. “Don’t fucking lie!”

He heard his captain say, “Calm down, Tobio-chan.”

Kentarou saw his cousin tense hearing the words, and figured the captain was someone from his junior high. 

“How the hell am I supposed to calm down?” 

His cousin’s distress seemed to only be rising and he could see the discomfort Tobio felt with the upperclassman standing there. So Kentarou grabbed his wrist and pulled the younger boy behind him, putting himself between Tobio and Oikawa-san.

“I’m sorry, Oikawa-san, but Tobio isn’t in the right mind at the moment, so I’ll be taking him home,” he told the setter.

Kentarou did not know the relationship between his captain and his cousin, but he knew Tobio was uncomfortable. He did not care if the person was an upperclassman or not, he would be damned if he let his cousin stay in this situation any longer.

The thought must have shown on his face, because Oikawa-san stammered out, “U-um, sure.”

“Wha—”He wasted no time dragging his cousin away, ignoring the curious eyes that looked their way. “Wait. Kentarou.”

“I’ll tell you later,” Kentarou told him. “You should be more worried about yourself right now.”

Tobio was too high-strung at the moment, and it was better for him to calm down. His cousin grew quiet as he led them to a convenience store to give him time to cool his head.

When he noticed the other boy had returned to normal, he handed him a bottle of water. “Feeling better?”

His cousin gulped the water before nodding. “Yeah.”

“It’s not like you overreact like that. Was it really that bad seeing you teammates?”

Tobio would have never caused such a big scene in public considering he loathed attention. Kentarou suspected that it was due to the abuse he suffered as a child, but that was only his speculation.

“It’s not because of that,” his cousin mumbled. “And don’t try to avoid the topic! How did you get that bruise?”

“I was spiked in the face by a volleyball during practice,” he lied.

“That lie might have worked on Akihito-san but you can’t fool me.”

“You’re stubborn,” he complained.

Tobio gave him back his water bottle. “So are you. Now, spill.”

Kentarou rolled his eyes at the order. “One of the upperclassmen tripped me, and I fell on my face.”

“On purpose?”

He nodded. “He apparently didn’t like my attitude. I really am fine though. The nurse said I didn’t have a concussion and that the bruise should be gone in a few days.”

“What happened to the upperclassman?” his cousin all but snarled.

“Suspended. He’s not allowed into the volleyball club anymore.”

“Why didn’t you tell Akihiro-san?” Tobio demanded. 

“What’s he going to do?” Kentarous asked. “Otou-san can’t do anything. Besides, it ended alright. The captain and vice-captain intervened before I could get myself suspended. It won’t affect my ability to practice, so I’m satisfied.”

He was telling the truth. The situation was completely behind him now.

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san?” the younger boy asked.

Kentarou nodded. “How did you know?”

“They had the same positions back in junior high.”

There was a strain in his voice that told him there was more between the three of them than what Tobio was saying, but he did not push the matter. His cousin would tell him when he was comfortable and ready, and Kentarou would wait until that time came. 

All he could do right now was look after the younger boy. Whether it was an upperclassman or that shitty woman that called herself his mother, he would protect Tobio from anything or anyone that hurt him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For chapter nine, I kept thinking about what Kentarou was feeling watching Tobio panic more and more. I couldn’t help myself from writing this chapter.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed another glimpse into their pasts.
> 
> I also really want to thank you guys for all the support you’ve given this story. Whenever I write a chapter, I’m usually satisfied with how it turned out. Once I reread it though, I always nitpick and think that the dialogue and descriptions are so awkward. Seeing you comments really motivate me to not obsess too much over minor details.
> 
> I hope you continue enjoying this story.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mizuki-san glared at him. “They learned this from you, you know?” she stated.
> 
> “Me?” Akihiro-san asked, incredulous that he was suddenly being blamed. “What did I do?”
> 
> As his aunt began listing out everything his uncle did, Tobio and Kentarou only exchanged amused smiles as they continued on with their meal. It was a common occurrence during dinner, and they had long learned to not bother interrupting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I loved writing this chapter. It really showed more of the dynamic between Tobio and his family.
> 
> Enjoy!

Mizuki-san did not kill him, but she did force him to kneel on the ground as she ranted about his carelessness. An intelligent person, Tobio stayed silent the entire time and listened attentively to her. He apologized only when she finished, making sure to state everything he was sorry for.

His aunt was a woman with mid-length, chestnut hair and warm brown eyes. She had delicate features that exuded a gentle atmosphere and was petite in build, but those were the exact reasons why she was so terrifying when she was angry. 

“I promise to visit every weekend from now on,” he finished. “So, Mizuki-san, may I please eat now?”

Both his cousin and uncle were already sitting at the dining table, enjoying their meals and pointedly ignoring him. They had not once glanced in his direction since the lecture started. He would have resented them for it had he not done the same to them—countless times. 

His aunt narrowed her eyes, and he could almost see her weighing in her mind whether he was sincere or not. “Alright,” she eventually allowed. “I’m still not satisfied that you’ll only be visiting during the weekend, but I’ll take it for now.”

Relieved that he would finally be eating, he practically dove at the table, immediately piling his food onto his bowl. “Slow down now, Tobio,” his uncle chuckled. “You’re going to choke at this rate.”

Akihiro-san was what his cousin would be thirty years into the future, without the bleached hair. He had the same sharp, honey-brown eyes and dark, short-cropped hair. Rather than the constant scowl Kentarou always had, however, his uncle had a gentle smile that could always cheer him up. He also had laugh lines and wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, adding to his friendly atmosphere.

“‘M finth,” he said, mouth full. 

“You’re disgusting,” Kentarou told him. He kicked the older boy under the table. “What the hell?”

“What did I say about cursing while eating, Kentarou?” his aunt scolded. 

“But—”

“No excuses, young man!”

Tobio snickered at the scene. His cousin deserved it. The moment they stepped in the house, the spiker had ditched him to hide in his room. He had to endure his aunt’s wrath alone, and the bastard only came down when dinner was called. 

“How has school been, Tobio?” his aunt asked. “Have you been adjusting well?”

“Fine,” he answered, not able to say much since it has only been two day. “Kunimi is in my class though, so I can’t say I’m comfortable.”

“Your old teammate?” Mizuki-san questioned, concern etched in her expression. “Are you okay?”

“He climbed through my window yesterday,” his cousin told them. 

“Was it that serious?” his uncle asked.

“Not really,” he assured him, thinking of that morning. “I was surprised to see him, so I panicked a bit. I talked to him just fine this morning.”

“Oh?” his aunt exclaimed. “How did it go?”

“How did it go?” he repeated. “How _did_ it go?”

Meeting Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san again left such a big shock that he could not remember what the conversation had been about. Tobio was pretty sure they were talking about math or something similar to that.

“I don’t remember.” Math did not sound like something he would discuss with Kunimi.

His uncle burst out laughing. “Have you really forgotten already? It was only a few hours ago.”

He shrugged. “I had just woken up, so…”

“You were sleeping on only the second day of school,” Mizuki-san squeaked. “What will your teachers think of you, Tobio?”

“Like I care what they think. It’s not like I’ll learn anything useful for my choice of career.”

“He’s right,” Kentarou agreed. “The teachers yell about my hair more than they actually teach. I can’t understand a single thing they’re saying.”

“Bad teaching is not the same thing as you being stupid, Kentarou,” his aunt said dryly.

“I told you you’re dumber than me,” Tobio chimed in smugly.

“Wipe that grin off your face,” Mizuki-san ordered, to which he immediately obeyed. “Your grades are nothing to brag about either, Tobio.”

“Only because I never pay attention in class,” he defended.

“That doesn’t make it any better, Tobio,” his uncle laughed.

“I can get good grades if I try,” he told them. “I just prefer using that time to practice the piano.”

“Same,” Kentarou said. “I’d rather put my energy into volleyball.”

“How did I raise such simple-minded creatures?” his aunt lamented.

“Nothing wrong with it,” his uncle grinned, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “It just means they’re passionate.”

Mizuki-san glared at him. “They learned this from you, you know?” she stated.

“Me?” Akihiro-san asked, incredulous that he was suddenly being blamed. “What did I do?”

As his aunt began listing out everything his uncle did, Tobio and Kentarou only exchanged amused smiles as they continued on with their meal. It was a common occurrence during dinner, and they had long learned to not bother interrupting them.

By the time the two had finished their exchanges, both he and his cousin had finished their meals and were washing his plates.

“By the way, Tobio,” his uncle said, “the song you wrote for XX group has become a huge hit in the charts.”

Heat rose to his cheeks at the information, causing his cousin to snicker. “Okay.”

“I’ve received a few requests for an interview with you,” Akihiro-san continued. “Would you like to accept them?”

“ _No_ ” he quickly declined, mortified at the very thought. “There’s no way I can do an interview.”

“I thought so, but I just wanted to make sure.”

“J-just writing the songs is enough for me,” he tried to explain.

His uncle gave him an understanding smile. “I know, Tobio. You don’t have to do an interview if you don’t want to.”

“A-and I want to focus on the piano right now,” he told him.

“There’s a contest coming up soon, isn’t there?” his aunt asked.

He nodded. “I’ve been practicing for it.”

Tobio had participated in many piano competitions when he was younger, and he received massive attention for his skills and talent. However, he had quit playing the instrument right when he entered junior high. Even before that, he had been going to less and less competitions, wanting to focus more on volleyball.

The upcoming competition would mark his return after three years, and he was nervous to say the least. Many eyes would be on him, who had been called a prodigy since he began playing. He could already imagine the criticism should he fail to meet their expectations.

Perhaps noticing his unease, his aunt cheered, “You’ll do fine, sweetheart!”

“Your aunt’s right,” his uncle agreed. “Don’t be so worried. That’s the whole reason why you’re practicing so hard.”

Kentarou pushed him down by the back of his head. “And if you completely bomb the whole thing, the worst thing that can happen is me making fun of you for the rest of your life.”

“Gee,” he said dryly. “That makes me feel so much better.”

Being surrounded by the laughter of his family, Tobio felt his nervousness disappear. It made him smile, and he could see himself taking a step forward from his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt kind of bad about releasing two of the same chapter, so I ended up writing a third one for today. This one really shows how comfortable Tobio is around his family and how much they care for him. It also begins to introduce more of Tobio as a pianist, so look forward to that in upcoming chapter.
> 
> I don’t think I’ll be including any IwaOi perspectives this soon into the story yet. In chapter nine, I’m pretty sure both of them were so surprised and confused to see Tobio that it wouldn’t be much of chapter if I wrote it their perspective (I thought about though). And so far, I think not knowing what they intend to do with Tobio really gives the story a better flow.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know I had fun writing it.


	12. Notice

Hello, everyone. The author here. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to post a chapter today because I’m doing some research for the story. I’ll start posting again tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding.


	13. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And yet...they played the instrument with such sincerity that it pierced his soul to the core. A chord was struck in him and his mind raced back to a time when he was five years old, locked in the practice room by himself and stringing together random notes simply because it was fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. This chapter is the longest I've spent writing because I didn't know what direction it would go in.
> 
> Now that it's finish, enjoy.

One of the worst tragedies to befall a musician is the loss of passion.

After he had quit the piano in sixth grade, Tobio thought that that had been the end of his career. He had been burdened by the very thought of touching the instrument, the enjoyment of playing having been crushed by the pressure placed on him. It was suffocating.

And yet, he always found himself seeking refuge in the music. Whenever doubts began plaguing his mind, he found himself sitting on that familiar bench and savoring the ivory touch of the keys. As though a force compelled him, he always returned to the piano.

It had been in Italy where he rediscovered his passion. Rather than clear, the sky had been colored a dull grey by clouds, not a hint of the sun to be seen. A cool breeze sailed through the air as the temperatures had only begun to warm. A completely ordinary day.

Still relying on his crutches, Tobio had not stepped outside for a week, not wanting to deal with the hassle. It was Tadaaki-san, who had been assigned as his guardian during his time abroad, that forced him to go out.

They had gone to a small cafe near his rental home, hidden behind an alley. Contrary to its suspicious location, however, it was a nice and cozy place. The interior was quaint, complimented by the scent of coffee pervading the air, and the organization of the table gave off a homey atmosphere. In the back was a stage, a piano and microphone the only things there.

_ “Why are we here?”  _ he had complained, wanting to go back to bed.

_ “Because you need fresh air. You also need to practice walking so you’ll recover faster,”  _ was Tadaaki-san’s explanation.

After grumbling about how pointless it was, he eventually complied and sat down. When the pianist arrived Tobio did not know. All he knew was that the song being played was a piece by Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor.

It was not as though the pianist was extraordinary or anything like that. In fact, Tobio heard numerous mistakes in their playing. Multiple times, their left hand had fallen behind the rhythm. Their fingers often slipped on the keys during the trills, an essential part of the composition meant to convey tension. In other words, they were not good.

And yet...they played the instrument with such sincerity that it pierced his soul to the core. A chord was struck in him and his mind raced back to a time when he was five years old, locked in the practice room by himself and stringing together random notes simply because it was fun.

He had not realized he started crying until Tadaaki-san started panicking.  _ “What’s wrong, Tobio-sama? Is your leg acting up again? Are you in pain?” _

Tobio had not even bothered to assure the man. Instead, he stood abruptly from his seat, grabbing his clutches to support himself and told Tadaaki-san,  _ “Buy me a piano.” _

He had then spent the following weeks and months relearning everything, starting from the basics. It came back to him easily, as though the presence of the piano in his mind and heart had never left him at all. The desire to practice, practice, practice burned inside of him, and he was consumed by passion.

Wanting— _ needing _ —to get better, he applied to the Hanamatsu International Piano Competition, an event held every three years. Tobio had already sent in the necessary paperworks and videos required of the preliminary selection, as well as paid the necessary entry fees. Applicants would not be aware of the results until June 30, but he was positive he would get in.

While he was waiting, he was planning to attend the All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest. He’ll be at a disadvantage considering his age, but he wanted to test his abilities against the best. It would not be fun otherwise.

For these reasons, he had been devoting most of time after school practicing. Listening to the classics during passing periods has also helped him regain the familiarity with that genre, having only listened to contemporary pieces in recent years. His technique was flawless though—he had always been praised as a genius or prodigy for it. His musical expression, on the other hand, had much to be improved. 

He needed all the time he could. Tobio had no patience to deal with soulmates and former teammates at the moment. 

He had no doubt they had found out that he was attending the same school as them. Judging from how they reacted when they saw, they would probably try to seek him out. It was why, a week after, he had been taking extra care to avoid Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san. Everyday, he would either come to school early and feign sleep, or he would come to school right as the gates were about to close so that he would have an excuse to not talk to him. Tobio opted out of picking his cousin up from practice as well, figuring he would cause more than prevent it. Those were just precautions, however, because he had not seen them again since.

Whether he felt relieved or dread because of it he did not know yet. For all he knew, he might only be delaying the inevitable.

He did not particularly care though. A conversation between him and his soulmates was one of the last things he wanted right now.

Even if they did ask to talk to him, he would have refused. He had no obligations to listen to people who rejected him.

And he was sure they were also not ready to talk to him yet either, because they would have sought him out by now. Oikawa-san had a strong personality—if he wanted something, he would have it. Iwaizumi-san, although gentler in temperament, would not hesitate to talk to him if that was what he wanted. The wing spiker was stubborn. Both of them were. So was Tobio.

Which was why talking was not a good idea. He suspected that if he did talk to them, everything he had been burying away would come roaring to the surface. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about yesterday, everyone. I spent the entire day researching because I needed to better understand the emotions and feelings of a pianist as well as understand the atmosphere of competitions. I read the entire Piano no Mori manga yesterday and I'll be starting the anime today. I also looked up piano competitions in Japan (Hanamatsu is an actual competition, but I don't know about the All Youth one since I couldn't find anything on the internet). I hope I will be able to do justice to the passion musicians feel in this story.
> 
> I decided to write Tobio as a genius with the piano as well. I think that it's a very essential part to his character and personality, as well as his development as a person. I think it's also part of the reason why it's difficult for him to sympathize with others if he thinks they are not trying hard enough.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> Also, I don't think I'll drop this story. I've already written twelve chapters on it and I'll feel like shit if I actually quit in the middle of it. So I don't think you need to be concerned about that. At most, the updates will come slower and at longer intervals.
> 
> Thanks for all your support yesterday.


	14. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou listened as he explained the situation from where they sat on the roof, and the bastard outright burst into laughter. “You must have been a serial killer in your past life, Tobio. I’ve never met someone unluckier than you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I’m posting so late at night. I had a little trouble thinking of the dialogue, but I’m glad I went for the more light-hearted stuff this chapter.
> 
> Enjoy.

For two weeks, he had done an excellent job of avoiding his soulmates. For two weeks, he had done an excellent job of avoiding his former teammates as well. For two weeks, because two weeks had been all he had been allowed to be at peace with his school life. Two weeks, and his literature teacher had cursed him with a project.

The only problem: his partner was Kunimi, and he was positive that it would require them to meet outside of school to complete on time.

Kentarou listened as he explained the situation from where they sat on the roof, and the bastard outright burst into laughter. “You must have been a serial killer in your past life, Tobio. I’ve never met someone unluckier than you.”

“Shut it,” he grumbled, angrily shoving rice into his mouth. “I blame the literature teacher. Who assigns a project two weeks into the first term?”

“You could always leave all the work to him,” his cousin said, tearing into his own food. “Kunimi seems the type that gets work pushed onto him.”

“My goal in life is to  _ not _ be an asshole,” Tobio remarked. “It’s unfortunate I can’t say the same for you.”

“At least I’m not forced to suffer like you.”

He groaned. “What am I going to do?”

“A meteor could come crashing into earth and wipe out all of humanity,” his cousin suggested.

“I can hope.”

And Kentarou proved to be of no use whatsoever when, instead of helping him think of a plan, his cousin only found ways to insult him while laughing.

♚♚♚

When he and Kunimi met again after lunch to discuss their project, awkward was an understatement to describe the atmosphere. A solid ten minutes had passed before either of them said a word.

“Our project,” Kunimi started, “is to write a full report detailing the romantic period as well as present a work of art that represents it.”

“In terms of English literature, romanticism began in the 1790’s with the publication of  _ Lyrical Ballads  _ by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge,” Tobio recalled, resting his head on one hand. “The era ended roughly around 1850.”

He had been dreading the project, but it was fortunate for him that it was a period he was familiar with. The application for the Hanamatsu International Piano Competition required him to send in a video of him playing three pieces consecutively. One of the pieces required had been a sonata by Beethoven, who had been part of that period. During the preparation for it, he had to do extensive research. Only through understanding the history of classics can they be played.

“It was an era marked by individuality, originality, experimentation, and freedom.”

“You seem to know a lot about it, Kageyama,” Kunimi commented, his shock evident in his expression.

“I spent some time studying it a few months ago,” he explained dismissively.

“After...you dropped out of school?” the other boy questioned cautiously.

“Dropped out? I didn’t drop out,” he said, surprised. “What makes you think I dropped out?”

He had spent the last four months of school in Italy, but his teachers had approved of him staying abroad. They had sent him the schoolwork necessary to graduate, and he had the diploma in his room to prove that he did. 

“I graduated.”

A light pink dusted Kunimi’s cheeks at his statement. “Oh! I just—I didn’t...I had assumed you did,” the other said finally. “The teachers didn’t really say where you had gone...and no one heard anything from you. You just kinda disappeared.”

“I was in Italy,” he stated.

“What?”

“I was in Italy.”

Tobio saw no reason to hide this fact, and it was better to clear up the misunderstanding now before rumors began to spread—not that he thought anyone would spread that kind of rumor. Even if he had been abandoned by them, he knew his former teammates were not the type of people to gossip. Besides, revealing his whereabouts of the last few months would not change anything between them.

“I came back to Japan about a month ago.”

“Is...that so?” 

“I was in Tokyo until the week before school started,” he continued.

“Does that mean you’re still living in the same house as before?” Kunimi asked.

If Tobio remembered correctly, the last time Kunimi had been to his house was in the spring of his third year. At the time, the house he had been living in was a block or two away from Kitagawa Daiichi, so it had been a convenient location for him. It was unfortunate that he had moved in the summer, to the place where his family currently lived. Though he supposed the other boy would not have known that, considering that had stopped talking to each other sometime at the beginning of summer.

“My family moved from there a while ago,” he answered, tapping his pencil on the desk. “Though I’m living by myself in an apartment at the moment.”

“Is that really okay?” the other boy questioned. “I don’t think the school would allow something like that.”

“The school knows. I only live about a half hour’s walk from my family, and the apartment is very secure.”

“Then what’s the point of living separately from your family? Wouldn’t it be easier to just live in the same house as them. It would be cheaper too.”

“Money isn’t a problem.” They were filthy rich, after all. 

“What? Are you loaded or something?”

“Yes.”

He knew by the other boy’s expression that he had meant it as a joke, but upon hearing his serious answer, Kunimi’s teasing expression melted off.

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Since when?” 

“Since I was born.”

Kunimi’s mouth was gaping at this point. “Just how rich are you then?” Before he could answer, the other student held up a hand abruptly, saying, “Wait. Do I even want to know?”

Tobio shrugged. “If you want an idea, I can tell you that we own about six different luxury cars.”

His classmate seemed to be frozen in shock at the information, repeating, “Six luxury cars,” in wonder.

“My uncle owns some apartment complexes as well,” he added. One of the apartment complexes Akihiro-san owned was the one he was currently living in. 

“Stop! Stop!” Kunimi said. “I don’t need to know anymore.”

“Then should we go back to the assignment.”

“Yeah,” the other boy mumbled.

They returned to talking about the project shortly after, not deviating from the topic again. But he found himself wondering why he told Kunimi all those things. Nothing of what he said had actually mattered that much—a simple search online could reveal just how rich his family was, and living by himself was not that big of a deal. Yet...they were not things he would go out of his way to mention either.

And most surprisingly, Tobio had actually been enjoying that conversation, though he only realized while walking home that evening. 

Whether it was a good thing he did not know, but he felt immensely lighter that night. He was sure that this was a step forward in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated whether I should dive more into Tobio explaining why he had not been going to school in the final months of junior high, but then I quickly decided that it was way too soon in the story. Kunimi and Tobio are only just starting to repair their relationship, revealing something like that now would only damage the plot of the story. I gave hints throughout the story that Tobio and his family were rich, but this chapter really gives better understanding of just how rich they are. In the end, I’m glad that this was how the conversation turned out. Kunimi being in a state of shock because of how rich Tobio is was the so fun to write.
> 
> From the last chapter onwards, I’ll be incorporating more of the musical aspect of a Tobio’s character. It won’t be in every chapter, but it will definitely show up more than it has thus far.
> 
> This was more of a filler/transition chapter, but it was fun nonetheless. Hope you all enjoyed it.
> 
> Also, I was lying in bed thinking about a future scene in this story...Let’s just say I’m sorry in advance because just the thought of it breaks my heart.


	15. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He paled at words. “I...did?” he squeaked.
> 
> “You did,” Kunimi confirmed.
> 
> “When?”
> 
> “Just now.”
> 
> “I did not.”
> 
> “You did.”
> 
> “I did not.”
> 
> “You did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so fun to write! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it.

A few days after he began his project with Kunimi—three, to be exact—Tobio realized it really was impossible to finish it with only the time provided during the school day. Although he now had no problems talking with the other boy, sometimes even finding himself comfortable, it did not mean he appreciated being in his presence more than necessary. In school, he had no choice but to interact with his classmate. Voluntarily meeting with him, even for a project, was a completely different matter.

“Should we meet up after school today to discuss how we’ll organize the report?” Kunimi asked. 

“You have volleyball practice, don’t you?” Kentarou would have told him otherwise if practice was cancelled. “Wouldn’t you want some rest after it?”

Although he played it off as consideration, Tobio dreaded the idea of meeting Kunimi after volleyball practice. He would have to either meet the spiker at the school gates or arrange to meet at a nearby location, neither of which had favorable possible outcomes. The former, because the potential of having another run-in with Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san was extremely high. Although the latter was a more preferable option, there were still risks that came with it. Kunimi usually returned straight home after practice with Kindaichi, a fact he remembered from junior high, and it would no doubt draw curiosity if he were to make a stop elsewhere. Knowing Oikawa-san’s meddlesome and persistent personality, his soulmate might very well forcefully accompany Kunimi to meet Tobio.

“Then, are you available this weekend?”

“No. I have work this weekend. I’ll be in Tokyo both Saturday and Sunday.”

Akihiro-san had chosen one of the new songs he wrote to record, so he would have to go to his uncle’s company to help with the process. He was largely responsible for the composition, and it bothered him if it did not turn out exactly as he wanted.

“Only this weekend?” Kunimi questioned. “Do you usually not have work?”

“I help my uncle at his company sometimes,” he answered. It was not a lie. 

Tobio would rather not reveal the fact that he was a songwriter. His uncle had taken painstaking measures to prevent his identity from being revealed, considering he was still a minor. All of the older man’s efforts would be put to waste if people at his school found out.

“I can always come to school early,” he suggested.

Kunimi shook his head. “Oikawa-san increased our practice time last week. We have to come in during the mornings now as well.”

He frowned. “When did you begin morning practices?” 

“Around last week. Why?”

Because he had been waking up extra early to avoid his soulmates at school. He could have been sleeping in all this time! Irritation surged through at this knowledge. He had lost sleep over nothing! What the hell? And why did Kentarou not mention anything to him? 

He had told his cousin last week, when the older boy asked why he was going to school so early, that he was trying to avoid his former teammates after causing such a big scene. No wonder Kentarous had such a weird look when he said that! He already knew about the morning practice and  _ still  _ did not say anything to Tobio. 

“That fucking asshole of a bastard,” Tobio growled, glaring at a spot on the floor. 

He imagined hanging Kentarou upside by the older boy’s legs, as he had done in fourth grade after a particularly annoying insult from his cousin. Or maybe he could tape the other to the wall, something he did in fifth grade after his cousin left him in a tree with no way to get down.

“Um, Kageyama?” Kunimi called, bringing him out of his vengeful thoughts. 

“Huh? Yes?” Tobio answered, recalling the moment he burned all of his cousin’s clothes after Kentarou had stolen the last serving— _ Tobio’s  _ serving—of pork curry and ate it.

“You kinda look like you’re going to kill someone.” Probably because he was going to.

“It’s nothing,” he grunted.

“Well...then, should we meet after school for the project? Once I’m done with practice, I mean.” 

“Uh, sure,” he answered absentmindedly.

Tobio should put hair dye into his cousin’s shampoo. Just imagining Kentarou with a head of hot-pink hair... He could already see the outraged expression on the older boy’s face. 

“Then we should meet at the restaurant around the corner once I finish practice?”

“Sounds good,” he replied non committedly.

If he wanted to accomplish his goal, he would have to make sure that it would go perfectly so that Kentarou would not suspect a thing. Tadaaki-san would probably help him if he asked. In fact, it would be better if Tadaaki-san did help him. It would infuriate his cousin even more. 

“Great! Could I have your number? I’ll text you when I finish practice.”

“Wait. What?” he asked, snapping out his thoughts.

“Your number,” Kunimi repeated. “I need it to text you the location and time.”

“Huh?” He was still confused.

“Were you listening at all?” the other boy asked.

“No,” he said bluntly.

The other boy’s lips twitched into a slightly amused smile. “I was talking about how we’re going to meet up at the restaurant around the corner once I’m done with practice. You agreed to it, by the way.”

He paled at words. “I...did?” he squeaked.

“You did,” Kunimi confirmed.

“When?”

“Just now.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

Groaning, Tobio asked, “Did I really?” It was muffled because his head was in his hands.

“You did,” Kunimi said for the fourth time. “Why? You can’t make it.”

“I can make it,” he mumbled.

“Then what’s the problem?”

He was saved from answering when the bell rang to signal that it was time for lunch. Tobio did not go to the roof to meet his cousin as he usually did. He was still in a state of shock and despair at his carelessness. Meeting Kentarou now would cause his uncle to come into school.

He blames his cousin for this mess. 

Did he care that this was a result of his own absentmindedness? No.

Was it actually Kentarou’s fault? Tobio would say yes.

Did it matter if it wasn’t? No.

He dialed Tadaaki-san’s number and was met with a “Hello” on the third ring.

“Hello, Tadaaki-san?” he said, laying on top of his desk and trying to become one with it. “Could you buy me some pink hair dye?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took inspiration out of my own relationship with my family. Everything is so much easier when you blame everything on your siblings on cousin.
> 
> For those who are confused: Tobio is a first year in high school. Junior high and middle school are essentially the same thing, but I understand how people can be confused. I was also confused when I first learned about it. And Tobio stayed in Italy for 4 months. I did mention this in one of the first chapters.
> 
> Look forward to the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m about to finish with practice and should  
> be arrive at the restaurant in about thirty   
> minutes.  
> Here’s the location: XXX on A Street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably one of the chapter I am most proud of so far.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

Walking home that evening, Tobio was still contemplating whether he should cancel the meeting now and come to a decision later. It would be rude as a classmate and partner, but he figured that would be a better alternative to causing a scene due to outright panicking.

Because that was exactly what would happen. The very sight of his former teammates and soulmates would alert every instinct in his body to run; and when his body would react quicker than his mind could process logical thought, his left leg would be unable to carry the weight of his body. He would then have to explain why he had collapsed onto the ground and endure the questions that would no doubt follow.

He did not want to experience those pitying gazes. Especially not from them.

In truth, Tobio knew exactly why they made him so nervous that it would trigger a flight instinct. He knew, but he did not want to admit it. He did not want to admit that they held that power over him. It made him sick to his stomach to acknowledge that.

While in his thoughts, he had reached his apartment complex and was greeted by the receptionist. Nodding his greeting, Tobio entered the elevator and waited for it to reach the eleventh floor. As soon as the doors slid open, he wasted no time entering his apartment, heading straight to the piano.

His mind was chaotic with turmoil and playing the instrument always soothed him. He was in desperate need of soothing at the moment if he really did decide to meet with Kunimi.

Spiegel im Spiegel came to mind, and his finger began moving almost immediately.

Composed in 1978 by Arvo  Pärt, the piece translates to “Mirror in the Mirror.” It exemplifies a style Pärt invented and termed as tintinnabuli; works in this style often have a slow and meditative tempo, and a minimalist approach to both notation and performance. However, it is exactly because the composition is simple in approach that musicians are challenged with bringing the music alive during the performance.

Tobio enjoyed playing it because it required him to put aside all sense of ego. He had to leave aside all things redundant, precisely why it was a piece he played when he was in need of soothing. There was no need for over-interpretation and he could simply drown himself in the mesmeric tranquility of the music.

He played the piece several times over before eventually moving to a different one, losing himself in the music. He continued with several other pieces before a text from Kunimi brought him back to reality.

_ I’m about to finish with practice and should _

_ be arrive at the restaurant in about thirty  _

_ minutes. _

_ Here’s the location: XXX on A Street. _

Sighing, he resigned himself to going. It was necessary for the assignment and they would have to meet sooner or later. Tobio might as well get it over with now.

Realizing he had yet to change out of his uniform, he quickly made his way towards his closet. He dressed himself in some blue jeans and a cream, long-sleeved tee. The shirt was an off-the-shoulder type with a wide V-neck that revealed his collarbones. 

After debating whether to put on his earrings for a short time , he decided to do so. It had mostly been out of consideration for Kunimi since he tended to draw a lot of attention with them, but he figured the other boy could deal with considering he had been one to ask for a meeting after school. He did not see the need to compromise what he found comfortable for the sake of other people.

He left his apartment after ten minutes or so, giving him about twenty minutes to find the restaurant. Still uneasy, he decided that it would be best to call his cousin. 

Kentarou should be in the changing room by now, so it was not a surprise when the older boy answered on only the second ring.

“Are you doing anything after practice?” he asked, straight to the point.

“No, why?”

“I need you to come to a restaurant for me.”

“Huh? No way in hell,” his cousin declined immediately. “I want to go home. It’s almost 6, you know. Why are you even going to a restaurant anyways? You never leave your apartment.”

“Remember the project I mentioned? I have to meet up with Kunimi to complete it on time.”

“That sleepy-looking dude?” Kentarou questioned. He heard a shuffling noise on the other end, most likely him putting on his pants or shirt.

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“I did hear something about going somewhere during practice, but Turnip-Head said that he was also going,” his cousin mentioned absentmindedly.

A sick feeling pitted itself in his stomach as he whispered, “Kindaichi?”

“Was that his name? But yeah, it seems like some of the team will be going there tonight. Something about bonding.”

His stomach dropped, and he stopped walking entirely. “The team?” he squeaked.

“Mainly the regulars,” his cousin answered.

He felt nauseous. Kunimi, Kindaichi, Oikawa-san,  _ and  _ Iwaizumi-san were all going to be there. It was literally the worst outcome imaginable. Tobio really was going to throw up.

“Hey, Tobio, are you okay?” Kentarou asked, taking note of his silence.

“ _ No _ ,” he managed to force out. His throat was closing up and it was getting increasingly difficult to breathe. “I might pass out.”

A string of curses could be heard. “That bad?”

“Yeah,” he choked.

“Alright,” Kentarou said. “I’ll go.”

“R-really?” 

“Really. I’ll go.”

Immense relief flooded him at confirmation, and he relaxed enough to be able to breathe properly again. “Thanks, Kentarou. I’ll pay you back for this.”

“Damn straight you will,” his cousin said as a matter of course. “I’m taking time out of my precious day for you.”

A small smile graced his lips. Despite his cousin’s holier than thou attitude, he knew the older boy was trying to cheer him up right now. He was grateful for it, too, since it was taking his mind off of the impending doom he was soon to face. Barely, though.

“I’ll see you at the restaurant, Kentarou,” he said, hanging up the call.

Tobio breathed out deeply. Then breathed in. He repeated it until he no longer felt like throwing up.

Finally, he calmed down enough to start moving again. Still, he could not help but feel like he was walking himself straight to the gallows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. I know this chapter came out later than usual (11:47 as I am writing this), but it was definitely one of my best writing so far. The research I had to do for this was also enjoyable, but it was also tedious because I had to look up a specific song. Very much worth it though.
> 
> Anyways, Tobio will finally be meeting Oikawa and Iwaizumi, not to mention Kindaichi as well. Suffice to say that the next chapter will probably be very tense. Luckily, however, Kentarou will there to protect his baby cousin.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	17. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’ll be fine, he tried to convince himself. I’ll be fine. I might not even have to talk to them.
> 
> He could simply ignore the rest of the volleyball team and focus on the work that needed to be done. Right. Nothing to be nervous about…
> 
> Like hell that was true!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. I played out multiple scenarios about how to write this chapter, but I finally settled on the scene that would best portray the tension.
> 
> Enjoy this scene (though I don't think you will it that much).

He supposed it was fortunate that he had been the first person to arrive at the restaurant. It allowed him time to look around and familiarize himself with the place, as well as to regain his bearings.

The restaurant was an unusual combination of modern and traditional, and the booths along the wall gave it a relaxed atmosphere. He was greeted with a chorus of conversations as soon as he entered, as well as the scent of whatever food was currently being cooked. Tobio chose a seat near the back, away from the majority of the people currently eating but close enough so that Kunimi would not miss him.

_ I’ll be there in about five minutes _ , the text message read.

Which meant he had five minutes to calm himself down. He tried to take in his surroundings by doing a quick scan of the room. Several people were wearing his school’s uniform, which confirmed what his classmate said about students coming there to study. Faint music could be heard from the speakers, but it was drowned out by the noise of conversation. Looking around soon proved to be a bad idea, however, when he noticed several stares directed his way. That only served to make him more nervous and he immediately ducked his head, keeping his eyes pinned on the table. 

_ I’ll be fine _ , he tried to convince himself.  _ I’ll be fine. I might not even have to talk to them. _

He could simply ignore the rest of the volleyball team and focus on the work that needed to be done. Right. Nothing to be nervous about…

Like hell that was true!

Five minutes felt like three seconds once heard the sound of chimes ringing to signal people entering. He completely froze in his seat when he heard the dreaded voice of one of his soulmates. “Yoohoo! Tobio-chan~.” His head was still down, but he knew—he just  _ knew _ —that Oikawa-san was waving at him with that ridiculous smile on his face.

He breathed in deeply, forcing himself to look up and give some sort of greeting. A stiff nod was the best he could manage.

“Is that anyway to greet your beloved upperclassman after three years?” the setter asked with mock hurt.

_ Since when were you ever an upperclassman _ . “Good evening, Oikawa-san,” he gritted out instead, voice strained but steady.

“Don’t be so tense, Tobio-chan,” the older boy cooed, earning a smack on the head from Iwaizumi-san.

“Leave him alone, Shittykawa,” the wing spiker growled before turning towards him. Olive-green eyes softened as he said, “It’s good to see you again, Kageyama.”

Another stiff nod from Tobio, who was incapable of making sound at the moment. He was starting to regret choosing a booth in the back. Especially as more and more volleyball players came in, blocking the only path to exit the restaurant.

Where the hell was Kentarou? He would even settle for Kunimi right now, preferring the fellow first year’s presence to that of his two soulmates. 

“Are you going to sit down?” Oikawa-san question with a raised brow, motion his hand towards the seat.

No, he was not going to sit down. Tobio’s nerves were already high-strung enough,having them tower over him was not going to help. “Where’s Kunimi?” he asked instead.

“I’m right here.” His classmate pushed his way through the group of volleyball players.

Tobio, however, was not relieved in the slightest. In fact, he only became more tense when he caught the sight of Kindaichi. The middle blocker had an awkward expression as he nodded his greeting, sitting down in the booth Tobio had chosen.

“I’m sorry about this, Kageyama,” Kunimi apologized. “I hadn’t realized the team was coming here as well.”

“Um...it’s fine.” No. It was not fine. Nothing was fine right now. 

He was balancing on the edge of a breakdown at the moment. In the span of barely ten minutes, the four people he had been desperate to avoid were now standing in front of him. Their stares seemed to pierce through him, burning him with their intensity. 

To make matters worse, they seemed to have caught the attention of the rest of the volleyball team. All the players were staring at the five of them with questioning gazes. 

Tobio felt like a corner, like a mouse being caught by a snake. He was hyperly aware of how dry his throat was, the brush of his shirt against his skin, even the sensation of the barbell that was his tongue piercing. 

“You don’t need to look so scared, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san huffed, hands on his hips. “It’s not like we’re going to eat you or anything.”

Maybe, but Oikawa-san scared him. The upperclassman almost hitting him had nothing to do with it either—though it definitely contributed to it. Oikawa-san always seemed as though he could see into the depths of his soul, see all of his fears and weaknesses and use them against him.

He shivered, cold despite the warm temperature of the restaurant. “What...are you doing here?” he managed to ask.

“We came here for some team bonding,” Iwaizumi-san answered softly. “We had no idea you were going to be here as well.”   
  


“Is...that so?” he breathed. He was honestly going to throw up soon, despite his empty stomach. 

“You don’t look too good, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san commented, concerned.

When the wing spiker took a step forward to check his condition, Tobio instinctively took a step back, slapping away the hand that reached out for him. The thought of being touched by someone other than his family sickened him to no end. Regardless of the fact that they were soulmates, only the people he allowed could touch him.

A stunned silence fell over the five of them, broken only by Oikawa-san’s musing. “Aren’t you cautious?”

“S-sorry,” he stammered. “I-I need to go to the bathroom.”

He did not wait for a reply before pushing the four of them aside, rushing straight to the bathroom. The moment the door closed, Tobio dry heaved into the toilet, hovering over the seat for several minutes with tears streaking down his face.

Impossible. It was absolutely impossible to go back there—to face them. It was absolutely impossible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHERE THE HELL IS KENTAROU??? This chapter was so hard to write because I made a conscious decision to make Tobio suffer without his cousin. 
> 
> How do you guys like the tension? Comment your thoughts below.
> 
> POOR TOBIO 😭!


	18. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you want to grab some food first,” the first year wing spiker asked, “or should we get started on the project?”
> 
> “Let’s just get started,” he mumbled, certain that anything he consumed would only end up being thrown up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the continuation to chapter fifteen. Hope you enjoy.

About five minutes had passed, and Tobio had spent the majority of that time with his head underneath the tap, drowning himself in cold water to clear his mind. He was still nauseous, and the thought of returning made him want to throw up again, but at least he found it easier to breathe now.

Someone came knocking on the door after another two minutes, and he was forced to leave the bathroom. His hair was dripping wet at this point, but he could really care less when he had to return to where his soulmates and former teammates were. 

Figuring that he should at least dry off his face, he took out a handkerchief he always had with him from his back pocket. It was a habit his aunt had drilled into him from a young age, claiming that it would be convenient to have it on hand. Mizuki-san had been right, though he did not think she was referring to this situation.

He pressed the cloth onto his face with both hands before attempting to partially dry off his hair. With his mind slightly more clear, Tobio walked back to the booth, finding that everyone had already sat down and were currently eating their food.

Kunimi was the first to notice his return, standing up to ask, “Are you feeling better now?”

Tobio glanced at the booth, noticing that both of his soulmates as well as Kindaichi were currently sitting there. Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san took up one side while the middle blocker sat on the inner seat of the other side. Kunimi had been sitting beside his soulmates before the first year stood up. The thought of sitting with all four of them had him contemplating whether he should run back to the bathroom.

Nonetheless, he nodded stiffly in reply to Kunimi’s question. “I was a bit overheated.” It was an obvious lie, but none of them pointed it out.

“Do you want to grab some food first,” the first year wing spiker asked, “or should we get started on the project?”

“Let’s just get started,” he mumbled, certain that anything he consumed would only end up being thrown up.

He sat down on the edge of the booth, directly across from Kunimi, making sure to have a one-person space between him and Kindaichi. 

He made a point to ignore the stares of his soulmates, keeping his eyes fixated on Kunimi as the other boy took out the notebook of everything they had worked on so far. He was suddenly feeling grateful for the fact that he remembered to put up the temporary block to their bond before he arrived at the restaurant. Tobio already had enough to deal with right now—he did not need his soulmate being privy to his emotions and thoughts.

As soon as they were about to start the project, the door to the restaurant slammed open. He turned around to see his cousin standing in the doorway. Kentarou was breathing heavily, beads of sweat sliding down his head, as he stomped over to where the five of them sat.

He frowned at the sight of his cousin. “Why do you look like shit?” he asked. His cousin looked even worse than he did.

“I...ran...here,” the older boy panted, wiping the sweat with the sleeve of his jacket. “Got... held up...by a teacher.”

“You reek.”

Despite the insult, Tobio felt immensely better now that his cousin was here. It was not enough to allow him to relax, but he was no longer as tense as before. Just talking to him like this was calming the current storm in his mind.

Kentarou scowled, his head tilted at a menacing angle. “Is this the thanks I get for rushing here?”

“It’s your fault for getting caught,” Tobio replied, taking Kunimi’s notebook to review what they had already completed. 

His cousin stuck his hand in front of his face, saying nothing more than, “Card.”

He snapped his head to face the older boy. “Huh?”

“I’m hungry,” his cousin simply.

“Then buy the food yourself.”

“My allowance got revoked for a month and Otou-san took my credit cards.”

“And that’s my problem how?” Tobio asked.

“Payback,” his cousin said, referring to the payment he had promised for his cousin coming here in the first place.

Grumbling a string of incoherent curses, he reluctantly reached for his phone, taking the case off to reveal the platinum credit card hidden beneath. “Lose it and I’ll kill you.” His cousin had a tendency to misplace his cards, one of the reasons his uncle usually gave allowance in cash.

As he handed the card over, he did not notice as everyone else at the booth was staring at it in shock. It was not until his cousin left to order did he realize.

“What?” he was able to ask, less tense after the exchange with his cousin.

“That-that was platinum card, wasn’t it, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san stammered out, his mouth slightly agape.

“Yeah. So what?” 

He watched, confused, as Oikawa-san opened his mouth, closed it, opened it, only to close it again. It took several more attempts before the setter eventually cried out, “Iwa-chan! Say something to him!”

“What do you want me to say, Shittykawa?” Iwaizumi-san asked, eyes still wide with shock.

“Why do you have something like that, Kageyama?” Kindaichi near-yelled, snapping out his daze.

Oikawa-san nodded his head vigorously. “That’s right, Yuu-chan. Tell him!”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Tobio asked, still confused. 

“Why do you have a platinum credit card?” Kindaichi repeated.

“I’ve had it since I was ten,” he stated. 

His uncle had given it to him for his tenth birthday, claiming it was only to be used for emergencies. He had been responsible enough with money that Akihiro-san trusted him not to use it for anything stupid. Looking back on it now, his uncle had been pretty reckless to give it to him.

Both of his soulmates and Kindaichi were still staring at him, and their gazes made him uncomfortable enough to shift in his seat. “A-anyways,” he stuttered out, “the project. What else do we need to do?”

“Since we’ve already organized the different categories of the romantic period,” Kunimi answered, reading off the assignment sheet, “we have to provide an example of each category and explain how it represents romanticism.

“That should be easy for you, then,” Kentarou said, biting off a piece of the burger in his hand. In his other hand, his cousin had a plate piled with burgers that probably added up to more than twenty. “Isn’t that era your speciality?”

He stood up to allow his cousin to sit between him and Kindaichi, something that did not go unnoticed by Oikawa-san, who had narrowed his brown eyes at the action. “Shut up and eat, Kentarou.”

“Dunth erdur me aronth,” his cousin replied with his mouth full.

Tobio scowled at the sight. “Weren’t you the one who said talking with your mouth full was disgusting?”

He sat down to realize the gazes directed his way. Both his soulmates were staring at him so intensely that it was hard  _ not _ to notice. Even with Kentarou there to keep him calm, his soulmates could always set his nerves on edge simply by existing.

Feigning ignorance, Tobio returned his attention to the assignment, all the while trying to ignore the eyes that seemed to bore into his soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I had originally intended to make this chapter a lot more tense, but then I realized that it wouldn't flow well if Tobio freezes every time one of them says something to him. Therefore, I had Kentarou come in to help Tobio become more comfortable.
> 
> Next chapter, I promise a lot more drama though. Oikawa and Iwaizumi need to suffer (A LOT). 
> 
> Look forward to it.


	19. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did you know?” He did not direct his question to anyone in particular, but he was looking at Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san. “Für Elise is an articulation of rejection and longing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Here's the drama I promised,

Had it not been for his cousin by his side, Tobio was certain he would have ran out of the restaurant a long time ago. It had already been an hour since he started the assignment with Kunimi and he was soon nearing his limit.

It also did not help that the eyes belonging to his soulmates never once left him. He could sense their stares burning into his head, which he stubbornly kept down to avoid meeting their gazes. Kindaichi also presented a problem to his nerves. The middle blocker made no moves to hide his discomfort about sitting next to Kentarou, constantly shifting around in his seat. Tobio caught every movement in his peripheral vision.

“Hey, Tobio,” his cousin called, nudging his side with an elbow.

Irritated, he slapped the arm away and scowled. “What?”

“What song is that?” the older boy asked, pointing to the speakers on the ceiling.

He tuned his ears to the music, recognizing the familiar six notes of the opening phrase. Tobio gave a sideways glance to his cousin. “Are you an idiot?”

“Huh?” Kentarou shouted, offended by the remark. 

He ignored the glare his cousin shot his way, raising his head to meet Kunimi’s gaze. “You should remember this song for our project, Kunimi,” he instructed his classmate. “It’s called Für Elise, and remains one of Beethoven’s most famous works. Beethoven was an important figure in music during the romantic period.”

“I never realized this was written by Beethoven,” the first year wing spiker said. 

“Not many people do,” he agreed. “It’s been played so widely that many forget the original composer.”

It was a pity, too, considering how influential and significant his music was and still is. Für Elise was one of Tobio’s favorite compositions from Beethoven. He appreciated it more for its meaning rather than its composition—though that was not to say the composition was not a masterpiece.

There were many theories surrounding the song, but Tobio believed that it was written for Therese Malfatti. She was a piano student of Beethoven’s and a woman that the famous musician proposed to. The musician was rejected outright when Therese Malfatti chose to marry Wilhelm von Drossdik, a wealthy nobleman. 

“Did you know?” He did not direct his question to anyone in particular, but he was looking at Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san. “Für Elise is an articulation of rejection and longing.”

Petty as it might be, he took pleasure in seeing his soulmates flinching at the revelation. At this point, he had reached his limit and no longer cared to put a filter on his words and thoughts. He could care less about the atmosphere.

Perhaps taking note of the animosity tension in the air, Kunimi tried to ask, “Should we use that as the example for romanticism music?”

“Für Elise isn’t exactly a song that could represent the romantic era. In fact, a song by Chopin might be more fitting to use than Beethoven.”

“You seem to know a lot about this kind of stuff, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san commented, though his voice was slightly strained.

He opened his mouth to say something, but when he realized he had no words in mind, he shut it. A few seconds passed before he finally mumbled out, “That’s none of your business.”

Tense silence descended their booth. It stretched for what seemed like hours before Kentarou broke it with a cough. “It’s getting late now,” his cousin stated. “We should all go home before it gets too dark outside.”

A tense agreement had everyone packing their things. Tobio took up his cousin’s offer to walk him home, not wanting to go alone in the dark. He was waiting for his cousin to finish his business in the bathroom when his soulmates approached him.

He folded his arms as they came closer, schooling his expression to be void of emotion. “Kentarou is in the bathroom if you want to talk to him.”

He did not like the seriousness in their expressions. Especially Oikawa-san, who always looked cheerful regardless of whether he actually was or not. His concerns were proven correct when the setter said, “We need to talk with you.”

He was going to be sick again. “I don’t want to,” he stated.

“It-it will only be for a minute, Kageyama.” Iwaizumi-san added, “Please.”

He  _ really  _ did not want to, already able to guess the topic of conversation. However, the desperation in their expressions as well as their voice made it clear that it was an inevitable one. So, after a quick glance to the bathroom door, he followed the two upperclassmen out of the restaurant.

The three of them walked to a park a few blocks away, and he made it only slightly pass the entrance before stopping. “This is far enough,” he said. “Whatever you want to say, just do it here.”

He checked again to see whether his wall was still up, and was relieved to feel that it was. Despite the calm image he managed to appear as, both his heart and mind were a chaotic storm of roaring emotions. It was not something he wanted either of them to know.

When neither of them said anything after a few moments, he sighed irritatedly. “If you have nothing to say, I’m going back.”

He made to turn around, but stopped when a frantic voice called his name. “Wait, Tobio-chan! We-we needed to talk to you about our bond.”

His breath caught in his throat. Tobio had already suspected it, but it was very different to have it confirmed. “Alright,” he whispered, turning back around to face them. “Then talk.”

Both of them shifted uncomfortably to his hostility. It was Iwaizumi-san who started, “Um...you...have you been blocking our bond?”

“Yes.” It was only when he was near them, though.

“That’s dangerous, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa-san yelled. Tobio could not make out either of their faces in the darkness.

“Huh?” he demanded. Although he knew it was not supposed to be a lecture, it angered him that he was being told something so obvious. “Why the hell do you care?”

“We’re your soulmates!” the setter stated.

His ears were ringing. As though the ground was pulled out from under him, he felt like he was floating in the air. A numbness began spreading through his entire body.

“Of course we’d be worried if you were endangering yourself.” 

He did not know which one of them said it. Repeating in his mind were the words,  _ We’re your soulmates. We’re your soulmates. We’re your soulmates. _ Over and over. And before he knew it, the numbness transformed into irrepressible anger. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he drawled, voice dangerously soft. “Since when was I your soulmate?”

“What are you talking about, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked. “We’ve always—”

“Weren’t you the ones who said you’d never accept me into  _ your  _ bond?” he sneered. “What right do you have to worry about me?”

Tobio was sure that, had they spoken these words to his twelve-year-old self, he would have been overjoyed. He would feel as though he finally found someone to love him. He would feel as though he was not a mistake, and that it was possible for him to belong somewhere. Instead, all he felt was bitterness.

“You’ve already rejected me three years ago,” he continued, voice rising in volume. “Do you have any right to even call yourselves my soulmates?”

_ Why?  _

“You spent three years trying to avoid me!”

_ Why couldn’t they have said this three years ago? _

“And now you come barging back into my life!”

“We know it’s unfair—” Oikawa-san started.

“IT’S CRUEL!” the scream raked against his throat.

_ Why couldn’t they have said this sooner? _

He had already decided to abandon these feelings. Why did they have to say these things now when he had only begun to heal?

“DO YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I FELT ALL THESE YEARS?”

Nearly every day, for the past three years, he could not help but think there was something wrong with him. He could not help but think that his mother was right, that had been a mistake. A burden. An inconvenience. That no one would love someone like him. Nearly. Every. Damned. Day.

“We-we know we messed up,” Iwaizumi-san tried. “That’s...why we want to apologize.”

“Don’t apologize when it’s convenient for you!” he snapped, causing them both to snap their mouths shut.

Tobio was going to cry—could already feel the burning sensation in his eyes.

He hated this. He hated that they had brought this conversation up now, when he had almost gotten rid of these feelings. He hated himself for reacting so strongly to them, for acknowledging the effect they had on him. He hated everything about this situation.

The ringing of his phone brought him out of his thoughts, interrupting the tense silence that had descended on the three. “Tobio! Where are you?” his cousin’s voice was frantic, concerned. “I tried looking and—” 

“I think I’ll go home by myself, after all,” he told his cousin. “I’m sorry, Kentarou.”

“What? Okay. But are you alright?”

He breathed out, calming himself before answering, “I’m fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He hung up the phone, turning his attention to the two upperclassmen in front of him.

“Tobio-chan—”

“Please leave me alone,” he said. “I don’t want anything to do with you.”

This time, he did not wait to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. I will only be updating this chapter today. It's Thanksgiving and all, so I won't be posting two chapter as usual. I'm spending time with my family.
> 
> You have no idea how SATISFYING it was to write this chapter. Tobio telling them to leave him alone was everything!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and found it just as satisfying.


	20. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of a sudden, he tasted salt on his tongue. He watched as a droplet of water fell from his eyes and onto the food he had been eating. Standing abruptly, slamming his hands down the table, he rushed to the bathroom. What he saw in the mirror confirmed his suspicions: he was, indeed, crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this chapter.

He did not go to school the next day despite his promises to talk with Kentarou. He had not trusted himself to be able to control his emotions and not lash out undeserving people. 

So Tobio skipped school, opting to stay in bed for the remainder of the morning. It was only when he felt hunger clawing at his stomach did he force himself to roll away from the warm blankets and soft mattress in favor of eating.

Before he knew it, the time for lunch had arrived and he became hyperly aware of the emptiness of his apartment. Not a noise could be heard, and the sense of isolation slowly penetrated his heart.

All of a sudden, he tasted salt on his tongue. He watched as a droplet of water fell from his eyes and onto the food he had been eating. Standing abruptly, slamming his hands down the table, he rushed to the bathroom. What he saw in the mirror confirmed his suspicions: he was, indeed, crying. 

“The hell?” a bubble of laughter forced its way out of his lips. “To think that I’m only crying now.”

Last night, he had returned home with an overwhelming yet barely detectable sensation of numbness. Exhausted and tired, both mentally and physically from the stress, Tobio had not even been able to change out his clothes, much less take a shower. He went straight for the bed and had been lured almost immediately into the clutches of unconsciousness upon his head hitting the pillows.

Not a tear had escaped him then. It was laughable that they only came now.

“How pathetic,” he whispered, condescension and bitterness coating his voice.

He looked up towards the ceiling of his bathroom, squeezing his eyes shut to prevent the flow of tears. He did not want to cry, did not want to be affected so deeply by people who had already abandoned him. His heart, however, refused to listen to the pleas of his mind, allowing wave after wave of tears to come.

Sinking to sit against the wall, he waited for what seemed to be an hour before the crying stopped. He waited for another ten minutes before standing back up, scrubbing his face with cold water and ignoring the redness and swollenness of his eyes.

Tobio debated for a moment whether he should play the piano to wash away the storm in his heart, but quickly dismissed the idea. All he would be doing is unleashing his emotions into music, and, although that could be helpful at times, it was not something that would soothe him at the moment. He had the feeling that if he heard the sound of his own anger...frustration...bitterness...resentment...he would burst into tears again. And this time, he did not know whether he could actually stop.

Instead, he chose to put the emotions into words. A method his uncle had originally proposed to help him sort out different emotions but what quickly turned into songwriting.

Sitting down at the desk in his room, he took out the notebook that held all of his songs. It came easily, everything still fresh in his mind from the day before.

_ Such simple words you speak _

_ Apologies on your lips _

_ Did you ever think how I would feel? _

_ After being abandoned by you _

_ With all these feelings roaring inside of me _

_ Threatening to drown me beneath _

_ Do you think I’ll accept it so easily? _

_ Am I a joke to you? _

_ Sometimes I wish I never met you _

_ Wish I had never known this pain _

_ Cause the marks on my body will never fade away _

Every time he took off his shirt he saw them—the marks of soulmates. One of them was a blossom of carnations on the right side of his body. The once vibrant shades were now faded, muted colors of white, red, and pink. They belonged to Oikawa-san. The other mark was a wolf located on the left side of his back, barely above his hip. It had its head tilted up, staring at the blossoms of carnations. Iwaizumi-san’s.

The marks that were a constant reminder that he was rejected, not wanted. 

_ Why did you come back so suddenly? _

_ When my heart had just begun to heal _

_ The love I felt for you soon to be a distant memory _

_ Now it’s all rushing back _

_ Torturing me slowly beneath its weight _

_ I’ve been crushed so heavily that I don’t if I’ll ever rise again _

_ Sometimes I wish I never met you _

_ Wish I had never known this pain _

_ Cause the marks on my body will never fade away _

_ I had never wanted to see you again _

_ Forgetting you was all I wanted _

_ But then you came back into my life _

_ Why can’t you understand? _

A knock at his bedroom door brought him out of his writing. Checking the clock, he confirmed that it was still school hours. 

A bit confused, he made way to the door, opening it to reveal Tadaaki-san. He was dressed in a loose t-shirt and jeans, contrary to his usual attire of a suit and tie. 

“Skipping schools is quite irresponsible, Tobio-sama,” the older man said, stepping into his room without invitation. “Aren’t you afraid of how the teachers will think of you?”

“What are you doing here?” he asked, not bothering to point out the rudeness of his intrusion.

The man held up a plastic bag in his hand. “I’m here to deliver your pink hair dye, of course,” he said. “Though I don’t think it would be a very good look on you.”

“It’s not for me,” Tobio replied, frowning.

Tadaaki-san glanced around the room, catching sight of the notebook still opened on his desk. He walked towards it in quick steps, picking the book up with one hand and reading the new writing.

“Quite interesting lyrics,” the man commented.

“I wrote it on a whim,” Tobio lied.

Tadaaki-san had a gentle smile on his lips, his onyx eyes glimmering with warmthness as he said, “That doesn’t sound very convincing when eyes are still swollen and red.”

And it was that irritating smile—the one that was full of acceptance and understanding and fondness—that broke him. His face crumpled into an expression of pain and sank to his knees, crying for the second time that day. 

Strong arms wrapped around him, and he buried his face into Tadaaki-san’s neck. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Tobio,” the older man assured him, rubbing his back with a soothing motion. “It’s completely okay to not be okay.”

His words only caused him to cry more. But rather than a silent suffering as it had been earlier, this time was an unleashing of the storm in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't mentioned Tadaaki for the majority of the story so far, but he's an important person in Tobio's life. You'll learn more about that in the next chapter.
> 
> The next few chapter will focus more on Tobio than Tobio and his soulmates. We'll finally get to hear him play at competition soon, so look forward to it.
> 
> Did you enjoy this chapter? My heart was breaking for Tobio while writing it.


	21. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then, here!” the young boy offered him his pinky. “You have to pinky-promise!” When the man hooked his pinky with his own, Tobio sang, “Pinky promise, hope to die, swallow a thousand needles if you lie!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was smiling the whole time while writing this chapter. Hope you enjoy Tobio as a kid.

_ “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Tobio-sama.” _

_ The man, who he had yet to learn the name of, bowed to him at the waist. He had a long ponytail of silky brown hair and dark, nearly pitch-black eyes. Tobio guessed that he was probably thirty years old, and thought that it was strange that a grown adult was lowering himself to a boy that was barely eight years. _

_ “Tobio,” his uncle said, “this man is named Tadaaki. He’ll be taking care of you whenever I’m gone.” _

_ Tadaaki-san, as he had just learned, gave him a gentle smile, but it only caused him to hide further behind his uncle’s leg. “He looks scary,” the young boy stated. With his tall height, the man towered menacingly over him. _

_ He watched as the smile melted into a confused frown and as a touch of red began to color his cheeks. “What?” the man asked, dumbfounded. “This is the first time I’ve been called scary in my entire life.” _

_ His uncle laughed, bending over and scooping Tobio into his arms. “It’s because he’s tall, isn’t it? Is this better?” _

_ Now equal in height to the man, Tobio looked at his face again. Tadaaki-san was still smiling, and he thought the older man was very pretty with his cream-colored skin and high nose. Nonetheless, the young boy wrapped shook his head, wrapping his small arms around his uncle’s neck and burying his face in the crook of the elder’s neck. _

_ “He’s still scary,” Tobio said. _

_ He felt his uncle’s hand rubbing up and down his back. “What’s so scary about him, Tobio?” _

_ “He had the same smile as Mama.” _

_ His mother had the same gentle smile whenever she locked him in a dark closet or hit him. It always made him feel cold and scared because he knew that that smile meant he would be punished. He was afraid that Tadaaki-san was going to do the same thing. _

_ “Tobio.” When he tightened his arms around his uncle’s neck, the elder coaxed, “Tobio. Let me see your face.” _

_ When he finally lifted his face, his uncle had a soft and loving expression that made his heart warm. “I love you, uncle!” He gave the older man a tight hug. _

_ A bright laughter from his uncle had him smiling and kicking his legs with joy. “I love you, too, Tobio. And I promise you that Tadaaki-san is nothing like your mother.” _

_ He shook his head, incredibly doubtful. “I don’t think so,” he told his uncle. _

_ Smiling, his uncle said, “Trust me, Tobio. I promise Tadaaki-san won’t hurt you.” _

_ “Promise?” _

_ “I promise, Tobio-sama,” the man swore, having remained silent until then. He had the same gentle smile as before but the young boy saw that his eyes were much, much warmer than his mother’s cold ones.  _

_ “Then, here!” the young boy offered him his pinky. “You have to pinky-promise!” When the man hooked his pinky with his own, Tobio sang, “Pinky promise, hope to die, swallow a thousand needles if you lie!” _

* * *

“Have you calmed down, Tobio-sama?” 

With an ice pack resting on his eyes to prevent them from swelling further, he could not see where Tadaaki-san was as he asked the question. All he knew was that he was laying on the couch, and that he could hear and smell food being cooked.

“Wipe that smirk off your face,” he ordered.

“How do you know I’m smirking?”

“I hear it in your voice.”

“Well, you must be feeling better if you’re ordering me around,” Tadaaki-san remarked.

He grumbled a series of curses underneath his breath before settling into silence once more, letting the coldness of the ice seep into the eye and listening to the sizzling of the frying pan.

* * *

_ “Why can’t I go?” Tobio complained, near tears. “Ken-nii-chan can go, so why can’t I?” _

_ “You’re grounded, Tobio,” his aunt stated. “You should have thought about going to the volleyball match before punching that kid in the face.” _

_ The young boy crossed his arms, puting profusely as he yelled, “But he deserved it!” _

_ “It doesn’t matter if he deserved it or not,” his aunt chided. “It’s wrong to punch someone.” _

_ “He would have kept making fun of me if I didn’t punch him! Ken-nii-chan said that I should repay somebody’s insults back ten times.” _

_ “No excuses, Tobio!” his aunt lectured. “Stay in your room and think about what you did wrong.” _

_ His aunt shut the door to his room. He ran to check, but it was locked from the outside. Tobio kicked the door in anger, storming to his bed and burying himself in his blankets. This was so unfair! _

_ He did not know how much time had passed but he soon heard a tap on his window. Peeking out beneath his burrow of blanket, Tobio padded his way to open the curtain. He was met with the sight of Tadaaki-san on the floor below his. _

_ “Open the window,” the man mouthed. _

_ “What are you doing here, Tadaaki-san?” Tobio asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the volleyball game with uncle and Ken-nii-chan?” _

_ “Well, Tobio-sama, I felt bad leaving you here all by yourself,” Tadaaki-san explained. “I’m here to take you to the game.” _

_ Excited by the idea of being able to go he exclaimed, “Really?” before remembering the door was locked. “I can’t leave. My door is locked!” _

_ “Who says you have to leave through the door?” the older man asked, a mischievous quirk on his lips. _

_ He tilted his head to the side in confusion. “How else will I leave?”  _

_ “Jump,” Tadaaki-san said simply. _

_ “From up here,” he squeaked, thinking he was insane. “I’ll die.” _

_ Tadaaki-san chuckled, extending his arms upwards. “I’ll catch you. I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, didn’t I?” _

_ He was still reluctant, but the older man  _ did  _ promise him. “I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life if I die!” he told Tadaaki-san, climbing onto his window. _

_ With a deep breath, he jumped. A rush of fear ran through him before he was safely secured around two arms. “See?” Tadaaki-san asked. “I told you.” _

_ An exhilarated burst of laughter bubbled from his lips, and the young threw his arms around the man’s neck. “That was fun! You’re the best, Tadaaki-san!” _

_ “Does that mean you like me now, Tobio-sama?”  _

_ “I love you!” _

_ The volleyball match was the best one he had ever watched. _

* * *

“How’s the food?” Tadaaki-san asked. 

He gulped down the pork curry despite the fact that it was burning his mouth. “Ish deelishish.”

“I’m glad. How are you feeling now?”

“Better.”

“There’s nothing wrong with what you said, Tobio,” Tadaaki-san told him for the hundredth time. “It was selfish of them to apologize without taking into consideration your feelings.”

Not wanting to speak, he continued eating his food. He was appreciative of the older man for a lot of things and often followed his advice. This time was no different, so he listened attentively to what he was about to say.

“I do, however, think they were sincere in wanting to apologize to you. You don’t have to listen to them now, but when you’re ready, you should try listening to them again.”

Tobio would rather never talk to them again, but he also knew he would never move forward with his life if he did not. It did not mean he had to like it, however, and the fact was very apparent by the scowl now on his face.

Tadaaki-san chuckled. “Well, there’s nothing wrong with giving them a little bit of hell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't care who you are, but you are lying if you say Tobio as a little kid is not adorable. I had so much fun writing all of his cute interactions. Writing this probably gave me diabetes.
> 
> After the last few chapters, I wanted to write some fluff to soothe my heart. 
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed this break from drama and angst.


	22. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou stared at him straight in the eye, crossing his arms with a look that said, Don’t try to fuck with me. Any amusement he might have had at the situation disappeared as he looked down, unable to meet his cousin’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here! Tobio talks to his cousin about his soulmates. 
> 
> Enjoy!

In hindsight, he really should have known his cousin would demand an answer for what happened yesterday night. He really,  _ really _ should have expected it. He did not know why he had been surprised to find his cousin outside his door. He was, however, not surprised by the fierce scowl etched on his lips.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. Kentarou barely waited until it was an arm’s width apart before charging into his apartment. “Well, hello to you, too,” he welcomed his cousin sarcastically.

“Why are you naked?” his cousin asked.

Tobio was wearing nothing but boxers, having just finished taking a shower. “I wasn’t exactly expecting guests at 9 o’clock at night. Though, you’re less of a guest and more like an intruder.”

His cousin gave him a seething glare before making himself at home, leaning back on  _ his _ couch and ordering, “Get me a drink.”

“Get it yourself,” he retorted, sitting on the couch opposite the one his cousin was sitting on. “Are you just here to order me around, or is there an actual reason?”

Kentarou stared at him straight in the eye, crossing his arms with a look that said,  _ Don’t try to fuck with me.  _ Any amusement he might have had at the situation disappeared as he looked down, unable to meet his cousin’s eyes.

Tobio clasped his hands together, squeezing them as he tried to search for the right words to explain... _ everything _ . He was scared to reveal it to his cousin after hiding it for so long. Although he knew that his cousin would never be disappointed with him, that Kentarou would accept him for whatever and whoever he was, he was scared of the possibility nonetheless. 

“I...talked with Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san,” he began. “They-they asked to talk with me while you were in the bathroom. We...we went to a park nearby, and-and...they wanted to apologize,” he swallowed, the words getting caught in his throat.

He was grateful that Kentarou remained silent, not pushing him to speak until he was ready. His cousin was never the most considerate or patient of people, but he knew when it was important to give someone time to gather their thoughts. It made it easier to breathe, as well as lightened the burden of revealing this story.

“They were apologizing—trying to, I mean. I...I kind of-kind of blew up on them.”

He did not want to cry again, but could feel his eyes slowly burning up. Ah...this was difficult. It was so, so difficult— _ how do you explain to someone you love that you were unwanted by the very people who were destined to love you? _

“I-I-I blew up on them because...because...because...they were my soulmates,” he confessed.

A moment of silence passed at the revelation, but then Kentarou drawled, “Were?” It was a dangerously soft question, one that held a promise of pain.

He squeezed his eyes shut. His hands were nearly white with how tightly they were clasped together. Tobio could hear blood rushing in his ears, could feel every thump of his heartbeat. He whispered, “They rejected me.”

He heard Kentarou suck in a breath. He could practically see the gears connecting together in his head as he pieced everything together. “When—”

“It-it happened in junior high,” he rushed. “It was-it was three years ago.”

“Three years ago?” his cousin roared. It made him flinch.

“Yeah...it was three years ago,” he repeated. “When I was still in seventh grade.”

“Why-why didn’t you say anything?” Kentarou demanded, the distress evident in his voice. His cousin was pacing now as well, judging by the thundering footsteps.

He was still keeping his eyes on the floor, still scared to look at his cousin. Would Kentarou look at him with disappointment now that he knew? Was he angry that he hid it for so long? Would his cousin abandon him now, knowing even his soulmates did not want him?

He did not want to know.

“I-I was scared,” he answered. “I-I didn’t want to...disappoint you.” His voice was barely audible by the end.

Tobio heard him stop in his pacing. Heard him walk over to where he was hunched in his seat. Could feel as he loomed over him, only to then crouch down. Kentarou reached for his hands, prying them apart.

“You’re going to hurt your hands, Tobio,” his cousin told him. “What are you going to do if it prevents you from playing the piano?”

He was still trying to hold back tears, so his voice was watery as he said, “I don’t want to hear that from someone who always punches people.”

“I punch people because they deserve it,” Kentarou stated. 

He allowed a strained laugh to escape. “You’re completely right,” he said dryly. “It’s totally not because you were just pissed at them.”

Tobio felt a hand on his head, patting him. It was warm and comforting, and it reminded him of all the times when they were children. On the rare occasions that he would cry, his cousin would always pat his head to calm him down. Rather than calm him down, it was what finally made him cry.

“You could never disappoint me, Tobio,” Kentarou told him. “Neither could you disappoint Otou-san or Okaa-san.”   
  


The words only made him cry harder. Honestly, Tobio was crying way too much for his liking today.

His cousin did not hug him to comfort him as Tadaaki-san did—both of them were too awkward to actually do that. Kentarou only continued patting his head, his touches becoming more and more unsure as Tobio refused to stop crying.

“Um…Are you okay?” his cousin asked.

He sniffled, smiling despite the tears. “Shut up.” 

“I’m sleeping over today,” Kentarou informed him.

“You’re only telling me that now?” 

At his cousin’s innocent shrug, he burst into laughter. 

When he went to sleep that night, lighter than he had in years. He did not dream, but he swore he heard music playing. It penetrated his soul, seeping into his skin, and he could feel as the cracks in his heart slowly began to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back to the angst. It was very necessary to the story though, especially since Kentarou is such a big part of Tobio's life. 
> 
> I had to rewrite this chapter twice because I really wanted to capture the emotions in this scene. It was totally worth it though, and I am so satisfied with how it turned out. One of my best chapters yet (in my opinion).
> 
> What did you guys think about the scene? I mentioned before that it was necessary because Tobio needs to heal before he forgave his soulmates. I don't want them to be the reason why Tobio stops doubting himself because that's stupid and unrealistic. Oikawa and Iwaizumi accepting him as their soulmate should not solve anything.
> 
> Also, I'm an idiot and didn't know to reply to comments. That's why I've been communicating with you guys through the end notes. Apparently, you have to click thread instead of reply. Once again, I am an idiot. I'll probably continue communicating with you guys in the end notes though, but I want you to know I do read your comments. They really motivate me to write this story. I appreciate all of your support!


	23. Chapter Twenty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It annoyed him that he had to protect his soulmates, but he did not want his cousin getting in trouble because of him either. Since Kentarou was much, much more important to him than his soulmate, he figured he could put aside the annoyance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late update. This one is basically a filler that moves the story along.
> 
> I had fun writing this, though, so I hope you enjoy it.

He debated whether he should simply skip school for the remainder of the week, seeing as there were only two days left until Golden Week. He ultimately decided against it—only because he was scared Kentarou might get himself suspended when his cousin would eventually try to punch his soulmates. And as much as he would revel in the sight of that scene, he did not want to be left alone in school for what would probably be a week to one month.

“Don’t you dare try anything at practice today,” he warned his cousin, to which he received a growl in response. “I’m serious, Kentarou.”

“Like hell I’m not going to do anything!”

Kentarou was sitting at the kitchen table, arms crossed and glaring, and not helping in the least with preparing their meals. As such, Tobio was the one cooking breakfast. However, because his cousin had to wake up early for morning practice, that meant he had to as well in order to feed him. In other words, he was missing out on some  _ very much  _ needed hours of sleep. Therefore, he was in no mood to argue with his cousin.

It was evident in the withering glare he sent the boy over the shoulder. “So help me, Kentarou. If you get yourself suspended, I’ll make sure you’ll be throwing up after every meal for a week.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” his cousin snarled, knowing he could fully well fulfill that promise.

“Fucking try me,” he challenged. 

He was serious, too; and perhaps his cousin sensed that fact, because there was now a small glimmer of fear invading his eyes. Kentarou stared at him for a long moment, weighing his options, and eventually snarled out, “ _ Fine. _ ”

Satisfied at the response, Tobio plated both of their meals, handing his cousin a portion slightly bigger than his own. “Thank your lucky ass I was considerate enough to wake up early and cook for you.”

“I could have cooked, too,” his cousin stated.

He snorted. His cousin’s cooking skills were practically nonexistent. He had learned this fact in sixth grade, when making curry almost ended in the whole house burning down with them in it. The end product of that attempt was a disaster as well, and both he and his cousin had to stay in bed for three days due to food poisoning.

“I’d rather not risk the chance of dying,” Tobio said dryly.

“It wasn’t  _ that  _ bad,”

He gave him a blank stare. “Yes, because getting food poisoning ‘wasn’t  _ that _ bad.’”

Kentarou grumbled something, most likely curses, under his breath before stabbing at his food with a fork. “”Whatever.”

♚♚♚

Because his cousin was exactly the type of person to claim forgetfulness when it suited him, Tobio warned him again as they were nearing they were rounding the corner to school. “If I hear so much as you getting a lecture from a teacher—”

“You’ll poison me,” his cousin interrupted. “I get it.”

“I wouldn’t exactly phrase it as poison,” he drawled.

“No.” He rolled his eyes sarcastically. “You’ll only be sabotaging my meals and making me throw up.”

“I’m glad you understand,” Tobio stated as they neared the school gates.

And because the universe absolutely fucking hated him, he had to catch sight of his soulmates as they rounded the corner. Both Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san stopped walking, frozen as they watched him. 

He deliberately ignored them as he turned back to his cousin, who was now sending them a seething glare. “Did you already forget what I just said?” he asked.

Kentarou did not even seem to have heard him, proceeding to clench his fists. Tobio tried to get his attention by waving a hand in front of his face, nudging at him with an elbow, he even pinched the other boy’s inner. When none of those options seemed to work whatsoever, he ultimately decided to punch his stomach.

His cousin doubled over in pain, hissing, “The hell? Are you fucking insane?”

He evaded the arm that tried to reach for his. “You shouldn’t have ignored me.”

Kentarou was still clutching his stomach, his glare was now directed at Tobio. His cousin lunged for him, something he easily side-stepped. “I’ll fucking kill you.”

His mouth stretched into a sharp smile, the condescending one that always managed to annoy the hell out of his cousin. “You can most certainly try,” he said. And because he was taller, and because he wanted his cousin more irritated, he drew himself to his full height so that he was looking down on Kentarou. “Though I doubt you’ll be able to do anything with your puny height.” 

In truth, he was only a few centimeters taller, but the taunt seemed to have achieved its purpose. His cousin was now actively trying to land a blow as he skillfully continued to dodge every attempt.

It annoyed him that he had to protect his soulmates, but he did not want his cousin getting in trouble because of him either. Since Kentarou was much,  _ much _ more important to him than his soulmate, he figured he could put aside the annoyance.

Tobio began walking backwards, but was forced to quickly whip his head to the side as a fist was aimed at his face. “Hey!” he yelled. “I never aimed for your face!”

“Your stupid smirk was annoying me,” his cousin grunted.

They both entered school grounds, a few meters past the school gates. In the corner of his vision, he saw his soulmates entering as well, their eyes still pinned on him. He also saw Kunimi and Kindaich enter behind Kentarou. He ignored them all, however, keeping his attention on his cousin.

This time, when his cousin aimed a blow to his stomach, he side-stepped, kicking the back of Kentarou’s knees so that the older boy was now kneeling in front of him.

His smile widened as he teased, “You look much better like this. And as much fun as this has been, it’s time for you to go to practice.”

Kentarou rose to his feet and snarled, “Go to hell, you asshole of a bastard.”

“Aww,” he cooed. “I love you, too.”

Tobio dug out a pair of earbuds from his pocket. He placed them in his ears and took out his phone, playing a recorded version of his latest piano practice. It was something he had been doing more frequently to discern the mistakes in his playing.

Kentarou yelled a string of curses after him as headed into the school building. And purely for his own amusement, he turned around, pulled down at his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

The barked expletive had him smiling again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so fun to write. I always love Kentarou and Tobio's interactions with each other--they're so cute together. 
> 
> Also, how do you think Iwaizumi and Oikawa felt about this scene 🤔? I'm going to start torturing them more from this point on.
> 
> The next chapter is going to be this one from Oikawa's perspective, so look forward to it.


	24. Chapter Twenty-One: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And everything the younger boy said was right. They had never tried to understand his feelings. They had never tried to talk to him. Instead, they made the decision for him. And it was a decision that had cost them their soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the Tooru perspective that I promised. Writing this was so difficult. Not because I didn't know what to write, but because what I was writing huuurt.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

There was one moment that he would regret for the rest of his life. Even on his deathbed, he would still apologize over and over for what he had attempted to.

He could  _ never _ forget the fear in his young soulmate’s eyes when he realized what had been about to happen. He could  _ never _ forget how Tobio-chan’s complexion blanched to an almost ghostly white. He could  _ never _ forget the way the younger setter’s body coiled back in shock. 

Tooru would thank Hajime every day for stopping him then. Before he could land that irreversible blow.

It was not going to work. The bond between the three of them—it was not going to work. He had realized it the moment he reached to hit the younger boy. His jealousy...his insecurity...his pride...There was no way they could maintain a healthy relationship with all of his problems.

And because he was a coward, he had forced Hajime to be the one to reject their soulmate. Because he was a coward, he could not say a word while watching. 

Tobio-chan had barely even reacted. And through their bond, Tooru could feel his numbness. 

He came to practice the next day to discover Tobio-chan’s end of the bond blocked. The three of them never interacted more than necessary for the remainder of the year.

He and Hajime would deliberately approach the Kitagawa Daiichi team for the next few years for the sole purpose of seeing their younger soulmate. Tobio-chan avoided them every time, however, with an excuse of using the bathroom or something of the like—and rightly so. The younger setter had no reason to talk with the people who rejected him, and neither of them could complain. They had brought it upon themselves.

Tooru had promised himself that he would be a better person before he would confront Tobio-chan again about their bond. He had promised himself to wait, until his younger soulmate would be ready.

But then spring of his second year came.

In the middle of dinner, he was overwhelmed by a sudden burst of despair and rage and bitterness. He felt tears flowing from his eyes, and his family had to ask whether he was okay. But it was not him that was feeling these emotions. And his first instinct was to call Hajime.

When neither of them could explain the sudden wave of emotions, both of their minds went immediately to Tobio-chan. To the blue-eyed boy they had rejected over two years ago.

It took them both months before they finally found the courage to visit their soulmate. Tooru and Hajime had gone straight to Kitagawa Daiichi after school one day in the winter, skipping practice in favor of checking up on the younger setter. It was only then that they found out that Tobio-chan had completely disappeared, and that their soulmate had not gone to school for weeks.

Both of them had panicked at the revelation. They did not know what to do.

It was a relief when they found out Tobio-chan was one of the incoming freshmen. Both of them were thoroughly confused, however, when they did not see their soulmate at practice the first day. Not only them either, because Kunimi and Kindaichi also had confused expressions as they kept glancing at the door, expecting to see a blue-eyed boy walking through them.

Tooru had not been mistaken that his younger soulmate had enrolled in Aoba Johsai either because, as he later realized, Kunimi was in the same class as him.

When they saw him again after practice, he and Hajime had been so shocked that he had no idea what to say. He had not intended to be so sarcastic, but that was what his mouth had reverted to doing. 

And then he saw how his younger soulmate had panicked at the sight of Kyouken-chan being injured. He saw the worry etched into every line in his body, and, even though he had absolutely  _ no right _ , his stomach twisted with dark jealousy.

When Tooru saw his young soulmate again at the restaurant, he could see and feel how nervous the younger boy was at the sight of them. The younger boy looked sick just talking to them, and it made him want to strangle himself for causing it.

He had truly not intended to corner him into a conversation—he truly had wanted to wait until his soulmate was ready—but then he saw how much more comfortable the younger boy became when Kyouken-chan came in. And he panicked.

Tooru had never heard Tobio-chan yell so loudly before. Had never seen him with so much anger. He had been frozen silent.

And everything the younger boy said was right. They had never tried to understand his feelings. They had never tried to talk to him. Instead, they made the decision for him. And it was a decision that had cost them their soulmate.

* * *

Tooru froze when he caught sight of his younger soulmate, and sensed Hajime coming to a stop beside him as well. Tobio-chan made eye contact for barely a second before returning his attention to the person beside him.

Kyouken-chan was glaring at them. The blue-eyed boy seemed to be trying to get the wind spiker’s attention, waving his hand, nudging the other with his elbow, pinching the second-years’ inner arms. Once again, the familiar dark jealousy bubbled up inside of Tooru’s stomach.

He was surprised when Tobio-chan punched the bleached-haired boy in the stomach though, and he watched as the wing spiker doubled over in pain. He heard Kyouken-chan yell, “The hell? Are you fucking insane?”

Tooru watched as the second-year tried to reach for his soulmate, only for the attempt to be evaded. “You shouldn’t have ignored me,” Tobio said simply.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Knowing how aggressive Kyouken-chan was, Tooru stepped forward to intervene before Tobio was hurt...only to freeze again.

“Tooru,” Hajime breathed, holding his wrist in an iron grip.

“Yeah,” he whispered, eyes pinned on the blue-eyed boy in front of them.

“ _ Tooru _ .”

“ _ Yeah _ .”

Because Tobio-chan was smiling. He was  _ smiling _ . And hell if it was not one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

With his wide, ocean-blue eyes and ivory complexion, Tobio-chan had always been attractive. But now that he was in high school, his once-delicate features have become more defined; his nose was higher and his jawline sharper; and he was taller now, too, with a lean yet muscular build. In short, he was fucking beautiful and the sight of his smile only enhanced that beauty.

“You can most certainly try,” his younger soulmate said. “Though I doubt you’ll be able to do anything with your puny height.”

It was teasing—a side Tooru had never seen in Tobio-chan before. And he desperately wished it was them who were on the receiving end of the fond and playful interactions.

He watched as his soulmate began walking backward, squawking in outrage as Kyouken-chan aimed for his face. “Hey! I never aimed for your face!”

“Your stupid smirk was annoy me.”

Tooru broke out of his daze as they disappeared inside the school gates, and his feet regained their function. He pulled Hajime along so that they were now within school grounds, and saw that Kyouken-chan was still trying to hit his soulmate.

Tobio-chan stepped to the side, hooking one leg behind the second-year’s knee and causing Kyouken-chan to be kneeling on the floor. Tooru was in a daze again when the smile gracing his soulmate’s lips widened.

“You look much better like this. And as much fun as this has been, it’s time for you to go to practice.”

“Go to hell, you asshole of a bastard!” Kyouken-chan growled as he awkwardly rose to his feet.

“Aw. I love you, too.” And hearing those words had Tooru’s heart aching.

Tobio-chan dug out some earbuds, putting them in his ears and taking out his phone. He was about to head in the school when Kyouken-chan swore a harsh string of curses. And Tooru was once again frozen when his soulmate pulled down at his eye and stuck out his tongue, giving him full view of the younger boy’s midline tongue piercing.

_ Fucking hell.  _

He had been shocked when he saw his soulmate’s ear piercing, too. He would have never guessed Tobio-chan, who had always seemed so innocent, to willfully poke a hole through his ear and tongue. The sight of them on his soulmates was more— _ much, much _ more—than pleasing to the eyes though. It was downright sinful.

He vaguely registered Kyouken-chan yelling another curse. He did, however, fully register the smile then once again bloomed on his soulmate’s lips. And if the pure joy in that was not the most precious thing in the world…

He knew. He just  _ knew.  _ If Tobio-chan ever chose to forgive them, Tooru knew they were both  _ fucked _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you guys think I did with Tooru's perspective? I hope it explains more behind his and Hajime's thought process when they rejected Tobio. But it doesn't excuse the fact that they did reject him. Both of them should have tried talking with Tobio before making the decision for him.
> 
> My intention with this chapter was to make both of them seem less evil than I had portrayed them so far. They were kids and didn't know what to do. So, yes, they made a mistake. This chapter actually shows that they do deserve forgiveness from Tobio. Just not yet.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I especially enjoyed writing about Tooru and Hajime being simps for Tobio.
> 
> Leave comments below please. Do you like how I chose to go with this type of narrative for Tooru and Hajime?


	25. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had been reluctant to publish it, as it had been one of the most miserable moments of his life. It exposed more of his vulnerability than he would have liked, but that was precisely the reason why he ultimately agreed to release it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is definitely the most music-oriented one of every chapter so far. It also an important turning point for Tobio.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

_ Winter Winds  _ was a song he wrote during the earlier days of his physical therapy. At the time, the world seemed to have crashed down on him. It was as though Tobio had been in a continuous downward spiral into hell, with nothing to break his fall.

He had been reluctant to publish it, as it had been one of the most miserable moments of his life. It exposed more of his vulnerability than he would have liked, but that was precisely the reason why he ultimately agreed to release it. 

With the All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest around the corner—only a few weeks away—he needed to be able to dedicate his entire soul to his music. Only through confronting his pain through this song could he accomplish that goal.

_ As the autumn leaves ends and snowdrops comes _

_ Over the horizon I see _

_ The shining sun falling down _

_ I watch as darkness engulfs the sky _

_ An abyss of black is all that’s left _

_ A numbness spreads throughout _

_ Paralyzing me _

_ With howling winter winds _

_ Everlasting in its deathly cold _

_ Not a single light or touch of warmth _

_ All hope is lost and gone _

_ My future dead and bleak _

_ Is there nothing left but pain? _

_ Drowning in my thoughts _

_ The walls are closing in on me _

_ Is there no way out of this hell? _

_ No way to escape? _

_ Wandering the shadows of my heart _

_ Despair overwhelming me. _

“How is it?” one of the producers asked him. “We need to fix some of the instrumentals, but the song is pretty much almost done and ready to be released.”

Tobio had arrived at his uncle’s company nearly an hour ago, but he had only been in the recording studio for ten minutes. This was the first time he was hearing the pre-recorded version of the song.

“Was it XX group who sang it?” he asked, knowing that most of his songs had been given to them.

“Yes,” the producer confirmed. 

“May I hear it once more?”

It was only a moment later that the music began. His overall impression of the song so far had been decent. He had no complaints about the instrumentals, which was minimalistic in its entirety. It consisted only of the violin, piano, flute, and french horn. He especially liked the inclusion of the french horn; its low pitches and rich, soft timbre gave the song a haunted quality that reflected the nightmare of that time. Another aspect he also found pleasing was how the instrument cut off at the chorus, replaced by the sound of blowing wind, only to have the flute play solo in the second line.

“Was there something wrong with it?” the producer asked once the song finished for the second time.

“I wouldn’t say wrong,” Tobio said, “but it does feel a little...off.”

“With the melody? Or is it the instruments?”

He shook his head. Both the melody and instrumentals were perfect for the dark concept of the song. “The problem is most likely in the vocals. There’s not enough emotion in their voices to compliment the music and lyrics.”

The producer sighed, leaning back against his chair. “XX group consists of fairly new singers,” the man stated. “We’ve managed to compensate for their lack of experience with aggressive and instrument- driven songs, but it might be impossible to ask them to convey emotions so early in their careers.”

Tobio hummed. “‘Impossible’ seems quite pessimistic.” 

Emotions did not exactly require experience—every had and felt them, after all. It was possible to convey them so long as the artist connected to the music. 

“Are they somewhere in the company building, right now?” he asked.

“I should think so,” was the producer’s reply. “They’ve yet to go home for Golden Week, and according to their schedule, they should be practicing their dancing right now.”

“Can you call them here?” he requested. 

It took only five minutes for the group to come bursting through the door. The four rookies, all of them close to Tobio in age, seemed nervous when they were asked to sing the song again.

Once the doors to the recording studio closed, the music immediately began to play and they were singing the lyrics.

“ _ An abyss of black is all that’s left _

_ A numbness spreads throughout _

_ Paralyzing me” _

“Stop,” he told the producer, and he cut off the music. He unmuted the speakers on his end and instructed the singers, “Sing that part again more clearly. Stretch the words out as well.”

“ _ An abyss of black is all that’s left _

_ A numbness spreads throughout _

_ Paralyzing me” _

“Better,” he stated. “Let’s do the chorus now.” 

The chorus was the most important part of the song. It conveyed all the despair that utter consumed him during his physical therapy. He had felt absolutely pathetic when simply walking had him sweating enough to drench his shirt. Every step had been a struggle. Every step had been a blow of realization that he could never play volleyball again. He would not compromise any of that in the song.

“ _ With howling winter winds _

_ Everlasting in its deathly cold _

_ Not a single light or touch of warmth _

_ All hope is lost and gone _

_ My future dead and bleak _

_ Is there nothing left but pain? _ ”

“Sing it as though you’re suffering,” he told the group.

“ _ With howling winter winds _

_ Everlasting in its deathly cold _

_ Not a single light or touch of warmth _

_ All hope is lost and gone _

_ My future dead and bleak _

_ Is there nothing left but pain? _ ”

“Again.”

“ _ With howling winter winds _

_ Everlasting in its deathly cold _

_ Not a single light or touch of warmth _

_ All hope is lost and gone _

_ My future dead and bleak _

_ Is there nothing left but pain? _ ”

“Again.”

...

“Again.”

…

“Again.”

…

“Again.”

…

“Again.”

…

“Again.”

…

“Again.”

…

“Again.”

It took them at least twenty more times until he was satisfied with how they sang it. Not once did they complain, despite the evident frustration and irritation in their expressions. 

By the time they had finished re-recording the entire song, night had already fallen—it had been noon when they had begun. When he listened to the final product the next day, he allowed himself to drown in the misery of his loss, he allowed himself to surrender to despair of the song. One. Final. Time.

And as the song drew to an end, Tobio let go of the sport that was once his entire life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was one of my favorites to write so far. I love how uncompromising Tobio is with the song because it represented one of the significant moments of his life. I think it's very representative of Tobio's character that he only settle for the best.
> 
> I'm sorry if the terminology doesn't make that much sense. I did some research, but it's difficult when you have no experience with actual process of recording a song. I did my best though.
> 
> How did you guys think of this chapter? Like I said in the beginning, it's an important turning point for Tobio in this story.


	26. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had not even been able to stand the sight of a court after physical therapy. It was a constant reminder that he would no longer be able to stand on it. Now, though, he was actually excited to watch a match.
> 
> “Then, you should come to our practice match this weekend,” his cousin suggested.
> 
> “Why?” he asked suspiciously, pushing himself up on his elbow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, This is just a fun, easygoing chapter with Tobio and Kentarou. It does contain some important information though.
> 
> Enjoy.

“You’re not upset at all?” Kentarou questioned, eyeing him dubiously.

“Weird, isn’t it?” he said, currently sprawled across his cousin’s bed. Said cousin was currently seated on the floor, playing a video game on the TV.

It was strange how easy it had been to accept the impossibility of ever playing volleyball again. He had expected that it would take at least a few days to completely recover, but it had barely been a few hours before he was playing the piano. He supposed it was testament to how far he had come from a few months ago. 

“I might even be able to go with you to matches now,” he joked.

He had not even been able to stand the sight of a court after physical therapy. It was a constant reminder that he would no longer be able to stand on it. Now, though, he was actually excited to watch a match.

“Then, you should come to our practice match this weekend,” his cousin suggested.

“Why?” he asked suspiciously, pushing himself up on his elbow.

Kentarou, despite what others might say about him, was actually considerate of the people he cared about. Knowing about the situation with his soulmate, his cousin would have never suggested him to attend a practice match, where there was a high chance for him to run into them. The only explanation to this suggestion was that Kentarou was planning something.

“Just come,” his cousin said, eyes on his game. “It’s a request from your beloved older cousin.”

He snorted. “‘Beloved’ is an overstatement. Pain in the ass is more accurate.”

Kentarou snatched the pillow he had been sitting on and threw at it, aiming for Tobio’s head. He easily caught it, throwing it back with equal force. It hit his cousin’s back, and the older boy quickly placed it under him again.

“I’m not hearing you say no,” Kentarou stated. “You’re not against going?”

“Surprisingly, no.”

He had spent the majority of Golden Week reflecting on himself. It had been a shock to discover that a lot of his anger towards his soulmates disappeared. It was still preferable to avoid them—resentment does not resolve so easily—but he was no longer so anxious at the thought of running into them. 

“Really?” The expression on his face was incredibly doubtful. “You literally look like you’re going to throw up every time you see them.”

He did not correct his cousin that he actually did throw up. “I don’t have a problem with going to the practice match. Besides, I would be there for you, not them.”

Kentarou was still doubtful. “Why the sudden change of heart?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know.”

Although, he did have an idea. His relationship with his soulmates had been built on the foundation of volleyball. It was through volleyball that he met them and it was because of volleyball that he was rejected—he was assuming. They never really told him the reason.

Accepting that the court was no longer a place he could stand on allowed him to sever his connection, or lack of, with his soulmates.

“So are you going to tell me why I’m going to a practice match?” Tobio questioned, rolling onto his back again.

“I have a present for you,” was the answer he received.

It only made him more dreadful and suspicious. “What present?”

His cousin shrugged. “You’ll find out if you go.”

He decided he did not want to ask further. Whenever Kentarou was scheming something, it usually ended up in broken bones.

Tobio could still remember the time when he was in third grade. Even then, his cousin still had his ridiculous head of bleached hair. And apparently, a kid had been stupid enough to insult him about it at recess. Needless to say, it was a big mistake.

Kentarou had been very,  _ very _ vengeful as a child. When his cousin had heard that insult, he paid it back tenfold. His cousin had gathered a bucket of ice-cold water and dyed it yellow with food coloring. The older boy then proceeded to hang the bucket over the stairs. It had probably taken at least three class periods until the kid who insulted him came. Once the kid was directly under the bucket, Kentarou poured the yellow-colored liquid directly on top of the kid.

And because the stairs had now been wet with water, multiple students ended up falling down and breaking their arm or leg. 

The incident had almost gotten Kentarou expelled. Repeat: his cousin was almost  _ expelled  _ in  _ elementary school _ . And the worst part was that  _ Tobio _ also got in trouble for not stopping him when he knew what was going to happen. Despite the fact that he had nothing to do with it, and that he would not have even been able to prevent it!

So yes, he did not want to know what his cousin was planning.

“Don’t be so afraid,” his cousin told him, still keeping his attention on the video game. “I won’t do anything that bad.”

“Coming from the guy who got suspended for taping a kid to the ceiling.”

“You helped me with that!” Kentarou yelled indignantly. “I still don’t get why you weren’t suspended as well.”

Because Tobio had been in third grade at the time, before he had developed the scowl that never seemed to leave. His appearance had often been praised by adults to be angelic, so all he had to do was fake some tears to convince the teachers of his innocence. 

“I was smart,” he stated.

His cousin snorted. “More like manipulative.”

“I was an angel,” Tobio said shamelessly.

“From hell, maybe,” his cousin said. “You were worse than me sometimes.”

“That’s not what the teachers said,” he sang. “Even Akihiro-san and Mizuki-san agree.”

“Cause you acted like a saint around them!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Fucking brat,” his cousin snarled, tossing the pillow he was sitting on again.

Tobio allowed it to hit him this time, bursting out into laughter as Kentarou tried to choke him. Well, whatever his cousin was planning, it would certainly prove to be interesting to witness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I genuinely think Tobio is always so nervous around his soulmates is because he knows he'll always see them if he continued playing volleyball. It was impossible not to when they play in the same. Most of his anger is because they rejected him while knowing that they would always see each other. Now that he no longer plays volleyball, most of that anger disappears. This doesn't mean he forgives them though, like he said in this chapter. It just means he severed whatever connection they had through volleyball. In other words, they're practically strangers.
> 
> Anyways, I wonder what Kentarou has planned for the practice match 🤔? Any ideas? Let me know in the comments.
> 
> Thank you for all your support. I love reading all your comments. They really make my day.


	27. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He would like to think that he and the other first year had developed a relatively friendly relationship in the past month since school started. They had grown comfortable enough with each other to exchange a few jokes here and there, sometimes covering for each other when one of them was asleep. But that was it. Their friendly relationship only existed within the classroom. They were not friends. They had never been friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter twenty-four. I go into more details about Tobio's injury with this chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

When he woke up Wednesday morning, he already knew that it would rain before even taking a look at the weather forecast. He knew, because he woke up to a slight ache in his left leg. 

His tibia, the bone which beared the majority of the weight in the lower leg, had completely crushed upon impact. It had resulted in a comminuted fracture, which was a medical term for when the bone is broken into more than two pieces, and he had to undergo a surgery to set the pieces in place. He had to wear a splint for nearly two months before he was allowed to do physical therapy.

He had other injuries as well, but none as serious as his leg. From what he had been told by the doctors, it had been nothing short of a miracle that he had actually managed to regain the ability to walk with his left leg. And to think, all that damage was the result of a drunk driver running a red light.

Suffice to say, he developed a deep, deep loathing for drunk drivers.

Tobo had difficulty walking to school with his left leg aching. He had asked his doctor once why his injury ached whenever it rained, and he had told him that the drop in barometric pressure—whatever that meant—caused tissues to swell, which is ultimately what causes the pain. He truly did not care for the specifics, not when it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable to balance his body weight on only one leg.

“Good morning,” Kunimi greeted him.

He was scowling, he knew, but he could care less about pleasantries with the current situation of his leg. “Morning,” he grunted.

A sigh escaped from his lips when he sat down. It relieved the ache to a tolerable enough level that he could ignore it. “Are you okay?” the dull-eyed boy asked.

He grunted a small, “Fine,” before reaching down to massage his leg. He made a mental note to go to the infirmary later for some painkillers.

He really,  _ really  _ hated drunk drivers. 

“You don’t seem fine,” Kunimi stated. “Is your leg hurt?”

“Not at all,” he said, sitting back up. It was not technically a lie since his leg was not actually hurt. It was aching and in pain, but it was not hurt.

“Hey, Kageyama,” Kunimi began. “Why aren’t you in the volleyball club?”

He would like to think that he and the other first year had developed a relatively friendly relationship in the past month since school started. They had grown comfortable enough with each other to exchange a few jokes here and there, sometimes covering for each other when one of them was asleep. But that was it. Their friendly relationship only existed within the classroom. They were not friends. They had never been friends.

Tobio did not think Kunimi had a right to ask him something so personal. “That’s none of your business.”

The dull-eyed wing spiker kept to himself the majority of the time. It was the reason he enjoyed the other’s company. And usually, the fellow first-year would have backed down when he drew a clear line.

This time, however, Kunimi pressed on. “It  _ is _ my business,” the other boy said. “If-if it’s my fault that you quit—”

“Why the hell do you think it’s your fault?” Tobio asked him, scowling. “Don’t be so full of yourself.”

“How can I not think it’s my fault?” the other boy demanded, voice rising. It was fortunate that they were both early, otherwise this interaction would cause quite a scene. “You disappeared a month after-after…”

“After you abandoned me?” Tobio finished.

He had made his peace with volleyball. He knew that what had happened was partly his fault, but they were also to blame as well. The fact that they did not hit his toss did not bother him that much. It was the fact that they—the people he trusted—had abandoned him. 

“I’m sorry that I was so demanding,” he apologized. “I’m sorry if I pushed you too far. But there’s no excuse for what you did to me.” He crossed his arms. “You should have found a different way instead of leaving me on the court by myself.”

Tobio honestly did not think it was wrong to want the best from his spikers. He regretted the way his words came out, and he should have tried to control his tone better. It was understandable why they had been fed up with him. However, he did not think he was wrong in his intentions.

“And how would we have done that?” Kunimi questioned. “You acted like a tyrant! You treated us as though we were beneath you just because you were better than us!”

“I never treated you like you were beneath me,” he argued.

“Well, how the hell could we have known that when you yelled at us every single practice?” 

“Did you even try?” Tobio screamed. “You made your own conclusions about me without even trying to understand where I was coming from!”

The bell rang then, and students came flooding into the classroom. Both he and Kunimi were forced to leave their argument unresolved, the tension from the exchange still palpable in the air. 

He turned his attention to the window, observing the storm clouds coloring the sky as he listened to the teacher drone on about the lesson. 

If he had known he would have had this conversation today, he would have skipped school to spare himself from the pain of his leg as well as the awkwardness.

During passing periods, he either listened to music, visualizing the notes on the piano as he did so, or feigned sleep to avoid talking. Not once, for the rest of the school day, did he look at the dull-eyed boy beside him.

Whether they had been the ones at fault or whether he was to blame was irrelevant. The resentment between them could not be resolved so easily, and forgiveness was far into the future—if they ever choose to forgive each other.

At this point, Tobio did not care either way. He was happy as he was right now. He did not need them in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was inevitable that Kunimi and Tobio would have this conversation at some point. I think now was a good time to incorporate it into the story because Tobio is in a stage where he has let go of volleyball but still trying to face his other problems. The problem between Tobio, Kunimi, and Kindaichi is the perfect transition into that.
> 
> Unlike his talk with Tooru and Hajime, the whole situation is a lot calmer. I wrote it this way because Tobio knows he's at fault too. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was orginally intended to be about the practice match, but I though this fit in more at the moment. Next chapter is definitely going to be the practice match.


	28. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes—on very, very, very, very rare occasions—he absolutely adored his cousin. And this was definitely one of those times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this chapter! So here's the practice match.
> 
> Enjoy.

By the time school ended, he had yet to rise from his seat even once. The ache in his leg had been bearable in the morning, but it had risen to an unignorable pain as the day had progressed.

Kentarou had dropped by his class during lunch, after he texted him about his leg. His cousin had done him the favor of stopping by the infirmary to get him a painkiller, but the effects of said pill have already worn off.

He had somehow managed to walk himself to the gym without his leg collapsing beneath him. It was just his misfortune that the school did not have seats on the balconies of the second floor. It did have railings, however, allowing him to lean most of his weight on the iron bars and take the pressure off his left leg.

Tobio had not known what he expected of the practices, but he could not say he was surprised at the sight below him. On the courts, there were two setters each on one, tossing to a line of spikers. The volleyball that was spiked would then be received by a line of receivers on the other side. Two people collected the scatter balls to return them to a cart, and people who were not doing any of those things were running around the outside. It was organized very methodically, a practice that was expected of Seijoh.

A sudden eruption of squeals reached his ears, and it was then he realized the overwhelming amount of girls watching from the balcony. “It’s Oikawa-senpai!” they shrieked.

He almost rolled his eyes. Why was he not surprised? 

His eyes wandered to the source of the noise...only to find the setter dripping wet in his school uniform. Iwaizumi-san came in behind him, equally drenched. “What the..” he breathed.

Oikawa-san might be flamboyant by nature, but he would  _ never _ come to practice unprepared. He always adopted a serious attitude towards his practices, sometimes even overworking himself. Iwaizumi-san might not take volleyball as seriously as the brown-haired upperclassman, but he was responsible in whatever he committed himself to. Neither of them would come to practice like  _ this _ .

He snapped his head around, looking for a head of bleached hair. Kentarou, who had been waiting in line to spike the ball, met his gaze. His cousin was scowling as he always did, but Tobio had been his playmate and a witness to his crimes for years. He recognized the sparkle in the older boy’s honey-brown.

“No one told you to take shower in the rain, Captain,” a player with messy black hair and thick eyebrows stated.

“Mattsun!” Oikawa-san whined, throwing his hands dramatically in the air. “Do you think I did this on purpose?”

As though familiar with the setter’s tantrums, a player with pinkish-brown, short-cropped hair completely ignored him, opting to ask Iwaizumi-san, “What happened?”

“Shittykawa here,” Iwaizumi-san growled, jabbing a thumb in said person’s direction, “lost the key to the changing room.”

“I did not!” the setter argued. “I put it in my bag this morning!”

As though he had not even heard him, the dark-haired ace continued, “We had to stand outside in the rain for at least ten minutes until he realized he lost it.”

“What happened to your umbrellas?” the player named Mattsun asked.

“Somebody stole them,” the wing spiker grunted, shrugging off his school bag.

“No fucking way,” Tobio whispered, covering his mouth with a hand to prevent a burst of laughter from escaping his lips.

“I’m telling you!” Oikawa-san cried. “I did not lose the key. Somebody must have stolen it!”

“Whatever, dumbass,” Iwaizumi-san scowled. “Just get the key from the coach so that we can change. Shiratorizawa is going to be here soon for the practice match.”

“Iwa-chan,” the setter whined. “Why won’t you believe me?”

Tobio met his cousin’s eyes again, and pointed to the two upperclassmen who were now walking back in the rain to change into practice clothes. It was a silent question, and a smug expression was the answer he received.

Sometimes—on very, very, very,  _ very _ rare occasions—he absolutely  _ adored _ his cousin. And this was definitely one of those times. 

When both captains returned, they were wearing a teal t-shirt with white shorts. Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san were constantly shifting on their feet, and it took him a second to realize why: their underwear were soaked.

Tobio clamped his mouth shut and locked his jaw. He was not going to laugh. Nope. No way.

It was not long before Shiratorizawa arrived and their practice match began. He was not surprised to see Kentarou among the starting line-up. At the same time, he was worried because his cousin could be quite reckless with his plays.

Oikawa-san started the game with a strong serve. He tossed the volleyball into the air with practiced precision, taking off with a solid jump. His back arched beautifully as he slammed the ball into the opposite side of the court. And as much as he did not want to admit it, Tobio found it mesmerizing to watch.

As he watched the match progress, he quickly became aware of why Wakatoshi Ushijima was known as one of the top aces of the nation. His spikes were intense and could only be characterized as brute strength. They blew away opposing blocks and receives through power alone. His left handedness also seemed to be a great weapon, the spin that resulted from it only seemed to add to his firepower. Not only that, but his receives and serves were also quite solid.

However, it was not as though the other players of Shiratorizawa were not outstanding in their own way. One of them, in particular, had an absolutely menacing block. He knew that the guy was only guess-blocking, but the fact that he managed to kill the majority of spikes spoke to his insane instincts. Their setter also seemed reliable and their receives were excellent as well. Even their pinch server was quite formidable. 

Seijoh did not fall far behind in terms of skill either. Most of their players were powerful enough to become an ace of the team, and the blocker were smart with their movements as well. Kindaichi had always been a good spiker, but it seemed as though his reach increased during the time Tobio had not seen him. Iwaizumi-san’s spikes were as strong as ever and was proficient in every other skill set. However, it was overwhelmingly clear that Oikawa-san’s skills as a setter was what brought out the full strength of the team. 

The first set was nearing its end soon enough, and it seemed as though Shiratorizawa was going to win with a current score of 24-21. Tobio watched as his cousin stepped up to serve. He was a powerful server, but he often overcompensated and it resulted in the ball going out of bounds. 

His cousin caught his eyes before serving, causing him to go on high alert. He watched as Kentarou tossed the ball into the air, taking off shortly after. With a full bend of his body, he snapped forward and hit the ball with an intense force.

And Tobio watched as, instead of flying to the other side of the court, it was spiked straight into the head of the brown-haired setter of Aoba Johsai.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you guys wanted to see that. Don't even try to deny it. I actually had planned to write it way before this, but I figured it would be 1000000000000 times better if Tobio was actually there to witness the wonderful, majestic moment of Tooru getting spiked with a ball.
> 
> Also, I absolutely adored writing this chapter. Stealing the key to the changing room as well as their umbrellas...making them get soaking wet in the rain...Kentarou is hands down the best cousin. Ever. 
> 
> I had so much fun writing this. It was some very much deserved punishment for Tooru and Hajime. 
> 
> In the comments below, write whether you enjoyed this chapter. I love this chapter so much.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I thought that was you, Tobio-chan!” his soulmate exclaimed. “You laughed at me, didn’t you?”
> 
> He shrugged. “It was funny.”
> 
> “No, it wasn’t,” Oikawa-san whined. “It hurt.”
> 
> “You deserved it.”
> 
> His soulmate quieted down at that statement, and the awkward tension returned. Oikawa-san averted his eyes, looking anywhere but at Tobio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter...Uuuggghhh--this chapter! It was fun to write but hurt at the same time.
> 
> Enjoy.

A strange silence echoed through the gym as the volleyball dropped onto the ground, interrupted only by the  _ thud-thud-thud  _ of the ball as it rolled away and the shrill sound of the whistle to signify the end of the set. Every player, every spectator, everyone had their eyes trained on Oikawa-san, waiting with bated breath to see how the setter would react. 

And Tobio...Tobio was desperately trying to hold in his laughter. His body was shaking with the effort and he could feel his mouth loosening as it threatened to burst from his lips.

He eventually broke. “ _ Pffffft _ .”

The sound seemed to break the tense atmosphere of the court, and nearly every pair of eyes looked towards his direction. 

Embarrassed and still trying to restrain his laugh, he buried his head in his arms, which had been resting on the railing as he watched the match. 

He really should not have found it so amusing, especially when it looked like it  _ hurt.  _ Both of his soulmates—Iwaizumi-san because he was connected with the third-year setter through their soul bond—were still grimacing at the pain of the spike. However, it was impossible  _ not _ to be amused when it was  _ Oikawa-san _ who got hit.

Had it been anyone else who had been hit, Tobio would sympathize with him. But it was Oikawa-san who had been hit, and could not find any sympathy in himself to spare the third-year.

“Kyouken-chan~” the setter whined. “Did you hit me on purpose?”

“Of course not, Oikawa-san,” Kentarou replied blankly. A blatant lie. “My hand slipped while serving. I had no intention of hitting you.”

It was intentional. It had definitely been intentional. No matter which angle it was looked at, it had been one-hundred percent intentional—Why else would he have looked at Tobio before serving?

“Is your head alright, Captain?” he heard the upperclassman name Mattsun ask, laughter evident in his voice. “We wouldn’t want you to get a screw loose in the middle of a match.”

“Nah,” the pinkish-brown haired upperclassman said. “He already has some screws loose. A hit to the head won’t make much a difference.”

“Mattsun~Makki~” Oikawa-san cried. “Have a little sympathy for your wonderful captain!”

He eventually raised his head from his arms, relieved that the attention was back on the court below. His soulmates were still rubbing the back of their heads in an attempt to soothe the pain, but they looked okay enough. No sign of disorientation or imbalance, Tobio doubted they would have a concussion as a result. In fact, they seemed more focused than before.

“Alright,” the team captain clapped his hands. “We’ve lost the first set, so we’ll just have to take back the second set!”

“Are you trying to cover up your embarrassment?” Mattsun-san hollered from the side. 

“It happened even if you pretend it didn’t,” the other upperclassman, Makki-san, stated.

He saw the setter’s smile twitched in what seemed like annoyance or frustration. “Shut up,” he ordered as he moved into position to prepare for the starting serve.

In all honesty, Tobio did not pay much attention to the remainder of the practice match. His mind was too preoccupied with replaying the moment the ball connected with Oikawa-san’s head to care much for the result of the game. Everything from the moment his cousin tossed the ball to the grimace his soulmate had after the impact. Every second had him overflowing with a sense of satisfaction.

It was petty, sure, but he felt no shame whatsoever. 

When the third set neared its end, he opted to leave early so as not to get caught up by the crowd of spectators. Although the ache in his left leg had eased during the match, he did not want to risk getting hurt because someone accidentally bumped into him. 

He also needed to go to the infirmary for painkillers, not wanting to walk the ten minutes with an uncomfortable pain. It was fortunate for him that the infirmary was on the way back to his class, where he kept his school bag.

He arrived in front of the room and he knocked three times before calling out a hesitant, “Hello?”

When no one answered, he slid the door open to find an empty room. He checked the bed just to make sure, at a loss once he realized there was actually no one in the room.

Well, that was a problem, considering he had never visited the infirmary and had no idea where the painkillers were. He was also hesitant to search for them himself, unsure whether he was actually allowed to without the nurse present.

Just as he was wondering what to do, someone called out to him, “Tobio-chan?”

Startled at the sound of his soulmate’s voice, Tobio jumped in surprise, regretting the action immediately once he landed on his left leg. It buckled under the pressure, and he hissed out in pain as he collapsed onto the floor.

A moment before he touched the ground, however, two hands came under his armpits to support his weight. “Are you okay, Tobio-chan?” his soulmate panicked. “Are you hurt?”

He scowled as his leg throbbed. “I’m fine,” he gritted out, glaring at the ground as he struggled to stand back up. “Just lost my balance a bit.” 

It was not technically a lie, but Oikawa-san made an unconvinced noise. “At least try to make it believable, Tobio-chan.”

Tobio placed his hands on the upperclassman’s shoulder, trying to lift himself up unsuccessfully. “Umm, Oikawa-san?” he asked hesitantly. “Can...can you help me sit on the bed?”

The setter wrapped one arm around his waist, lifting him upright with surprising ease. He leaned most of his weight on his soulmate, who practically carried him to the infirmary bed.

“Thanks,” he muttered, shifting on the bed until he was comfortable. 

His leg hung limply off the edge, and he glared at it accusingly. Reaching down to massage away a bit of the pain, Tobio definitely needed to schedule an appointment with his doctor. 

He looked up when he sensed a stare. Oikawa-san was frowning deeply, brows furrowed and eyes glistening with concern. “Umm…What are you doing in the infirmary, Oikawa-san?” he asked before the setter could question him about his injury,

The upperclassman stared at him for a long moment, making the already awkward atmosphere even more awkward. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he said, “I wanted to see if I had a concussion.”

“I doubt that would have caused a concussion,” Tobio told him, attempting to remove the tension in the air.

“I thought that was you, Tobio-chan!” his soulmate exclaimed. “You laughed at me, didn’t you?”

He shrugged. “It was funny.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Oikawa-san whined. “It hurt.”

“You deserved it.”

His soulmate quieted down at that statement, and the awkward tension returned. Oikawa-san averted his eyes, looking anywhere but at Tobio. 

“I...hadn’t intended to hurt you,” the setter began, fidgeting with his fingers. “It-it came out the wrong way when we rejected you.”

Tobio sighed, not wanting to reopen old wounds. “Can...can we not talk about this?” he asked. 

The upperclassman’s shoulders slumped, but he nodded. “Sorry,” Oikawa-san apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s probably not the best place, is it?”

No, it was not. He quickly switched the topic, desperate to avoid more tension.“Do you know where the painkillers are?” Tobio asked, remembering his original objective. “I’ve never been to the infirmary before.”

His soulmate silently opened one of the top cabinets along the wall, taking out a small box. Oikawa-san opened the top of the box to reveal a collection of pills wrapped in plastic. “Here you go, Tobio-chan.”

He took the pill with gratitude, popping it in his mouth and gulping it down with the water his soulmate handed him. “Thanks.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stated. “You're my soulmate. Of course I would take care of you.”

He did not bother to argue with him, the words getting caught in his throat. He simply waited for a few minutes for the effects of the painkiller to kick in. Tobio tested his leg, carefully and slowly leaning his weight onto it. Once he was satisfied, he muttered a quick, “Bye, Oikawa-san,” before leaving.

He did not turn back—refused to turn back—stubbornly ignoring the eyes burning into his back as he left the room. Because he was scared. Tobio was terrified that, if he turned back...if he saw the sincerity in those brown eyes...he might very well break down right then and there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It hurt me to write it because I know Tooru is trying his best to make up for his mistakes, but Tobio is also justified in ignoring him.
> 
> I enjoyed writing the contrast in this chapter. I think that it was important that there was a contrast, because Tobio wouldn't react as aggressively or as nervously as he did before. 
> 
> Also, I am not that knowledgeable in the medical field. I do my research, but sometimes I'll manipulate some things for the convenience of the story. I try to make it as realistic as possible, but I think some things need to be modified for the sake of the story.
> 
> Anyways, thank you for all the support you've shown this story so far. I love reading your comments and I hope you look forward to my future chapters. 
> 
> In the comments, please tell me: what did you guys think about Tobio's little interaction with Tooru? Feel free to say what things you want me to include in the story as well (though I won't promise that I will include them).


	30. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, this is just cute chapter about baby Tobio and Kentarou. It was fun to write.
> 
> Enjoy.

_ “Auntie,” eight-year-old Tobio cried as he ran into the kitchen, where his aunt was currently cooking something for dinner. “Auntie!” _

_ His aunt turned to him in surprise, quickly turning off the fire of the stove and washing her hands before crouching down to his height. Her hand was gentle as it stroked the apples of his cheeks, her thumb wiping away stray tears. _

_ “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” she asked. “Why are you crying, Tobio?” _

_ “I-I-I’m...I’m sor-sorry,” he stuttered. “Be-because of-of me, Ken-nii-chan...Ken-nii-chan...He’s going to die!” _

_ “Huh? What?” his aunt panicked. “What are you talking about, TObio?” _

_ “I’m-I’m sorry!” the young boy wailed. _

_ He had been playing volleyball at the park with his cousin when he accidentally set the ball too strong. It had rolled down across the ground and straight into the nearby lake. The ball was already floating in the middle of the water by the time the two boys got there.  _

_ Even though he had told Ken-nii-chan that they should get some help, his cousin said that he would swim and get it himself. And Tobio had watched as the older boy swam all the way out, grabbed the volleyball, and swam all the way back. His cousin had tossed the ball onto the ground, and Tobio had chased after it so it would not roll away too far.  _

_ And when he turned back, his cousin was gone. He had yelled Ken-nii-chan’s name multiple times, and received no answer. It was then that he bursted into tears, running home to get help from his aunt. _

_ “Because of me...Ken-nii-chan drowned in the lake!”  _

_ Seeing that Tobio was in complete hysterics, his aunt only picked him up in her arms as he rushed outside the door. The young boy could only wrap his arms around her neck, sniffling into the crook as his crying refused to stop. _

_ “I’m sorry,” he cried. “I’m sorry.” _

_ “It’s okay, sweetheart,” his aunt soothed, rubbing his back while still running. “Everything is going to be alright.” _

_ When they eventually arrived at the park again, he pointed his aunt in the direction of the lake where Ken-nii-chan had drowned. He cried even harder as he remembered. _

_ “It’s my fault!” he sobbed. “If I didn’t toss the ball too hard, it wouldn’t have fallen into the lake, and Ken-nii-chan...Ken-nii-chan...Ken-ni-chan wouldn’t have died!” _

_ “Kentarou!” his aunt called out. “Kentarou! So help me...if you don’t come out this instant, I’ll ground you for life, young man.” _

_ “He’s already dead,” Tobio wailed, crying even harder into his aunt’s shoulder. _

_ He froze as he heard a sound from above. Both the young boy and his aunt both looked up to see the laughing face of his cousin as he pointed at them. “Look at your face, Tobio,” his cousin said as he jumped out of the tree. _

_ Tobio stared down at his cousin as though he were looking at a ghost. “Kentarou!” his aunt yelled, turning around so he could no longer see his cousin. “Don’t play a joke like that!” _

_ He pushed against his aunt's shoulder, a silent demand to let him down. She complied, and gently set him to the ground, and he immediately rushed to touch his cousin. His hand did not go through his cousin’s body, and Ken-nii-chan did not look transparent… _

_ The young boy bursted into tears again, punching his cousin in anger. “I hate you, Ken-nii-chan! You’re so mean!” _

_ “Ow, ow, ow!” his cousin screamed, bringing his arms up to block the punches. “That hurts, Tobio. Stop!” _

_ He did not stop, only continued to punch his cousin in anger. His tears were still flowing freely, a mixture of relief and anger rather than fear and grief now.  _

_ “Okaa-san!” Ken-nii-chan yelled. “Stop him!” _

_ His aunt glared at the older boy, placing her hands on her hips. “You deserve it, Kentarou,” she stated. “Did you think how Tobio would feel when you disappeared?” _

_ “It was just a prank,” he complained, still blocking the punches. _

_ At the word “prank,” Tobio stopped his punching and cried even harder. “I thought you died!” he wailed. “I thought you drowned in the lake because of me!” _

_ Seeing how much the little boy was crying, an expression of guilt flashed across Ken-nii-chan’s face. He sighed, wrapping the younger boy into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, Tobio. So stop crying, okay?” _

_ He returned the hug with equal force, burying his face into his cousin’s neck. “You have to do whatever I-I want for a whole month,” he sniffled.  _

_ “Okay, okay,” his cousin agreed, patting his head. _

_ “You have to give me all your snacks today,” he continued. _

_ “Okay, okay.” _

_ “You have to do all my chores for the rest of the week.” _

_ “...” _

_ Tears gathered in his eyes as he began crying again. _

_ “Okay, okay!” Ken-nii-chan agreed quickly.  _

_ Tobio immediately stopped, giggling as he wiped the tears with the back of his hand. “You promised, Ken-nii-chan. No take backs.” _

_ “I know,” his cousin said glumly. _

_ His aunt laughed at the exchange, ruffling both of their heads before clapping her hands. “That’s enough crying,” she declared. “Let’s go home and get some food into your stomachs.” _

_ Both of them raced home at the mention of food. The meal was very delicious. _

* * *

A quick visit to the hospital during the weekend told him that his leg was fine. Considering that the bone had only been fully healed for two months and was still sensitive, the news was a relief to hear.

Despite the confirmation that he was free to walk around as he liked, his aunt had forbidden him from stepping a single foot outside her house for the remainder of the weekend. He had not even bothered to hide his displeasure, and had earned a withering glare from Mizuki-san that promised hell if he disobeyed her.

Needless to say, he spent the entire day pouting at home. And Kentarou, who had laughed in his face when he left the house, was at the gym playing volleyball.

If his cousin woke up with pink hair the next morning, Kentarou had no right to complain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being so late on the update, guys. My teachers apparently decided they hate me, so I had to do five hours worth of home work. 
> 
> I love writing Tobio as a kid. I just imagine him as being the cutest child ever, and him crying because he thought his cousin died is so adorable. 
> 
> Anyways, I've read your comments and I have decided to included some of you ideas (you'll just have to wait and see). I always intended to write a chapter with Hajime's POV, but I still think it's too early for his perspective. It will come eventually, though. I promise.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed a look into Tobio and Kentarou as little kids.


	31. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His eyes immediately wandered in the direction of the gym, and saw his cousin practically charging him. Without even blinking, Tobio pulled out his phone, snapped a picture to commemorate his hot-pink-haired cousin. Once it was saved in his photos, he turned around and walked back in the direction he came from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved this chapter so much, you have no idea.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

He had woken up earlier than usual today. Tobio wanted to avoid his cousin, who would undoubtedly search for him after the morning practice ended. Because there was no way that Kentarou would not have realized what he had done, and there was no way the older boy would not be seething about it.

It was a pity that he could not see his masterpiece, though. He had gone through all the trouble of sneaking into the bathroom without his cousin noticing, emptying out the contents of the shampoo into the sink, and mixing the hair dye into the emptied bottle. It would be perfect if he could snap a picture of Kentarou with a head of hot-pink hair.

“You should have seen him when he realized,” his aunt told him over the phone, laughter in her voice. “I thought he was going to kill someone with how he looked.”

He tried to imagine it; his cousin glaring witheringly, arms crossed, and deeper scowl than usual. And the image would have been menacing had Tobio not picture him with a pink head.

“I might need to stay away from him for a while,” he said. “He might actually kill me this time.”

And Kentarou would not care about witnesses. The older boy would definitely attempt murder even on a sunny day like this one—precisely why he was walking to school an hour earlier than he normally would. His life was valuable, thank you very much, and he did not want to die at the early age of fifteen.

“When did you even switch his shampoo?” Mizuki-san asked. 

“After dinner. Right before I left.”

Mizuki-san let out a soft, melodic laugh, and he heard his uncle chuckle in the background as well. Both of them were used to their pranks by now, having long given up trying to prevent them. Akihiro-san, especially, knew not to interfere after his entire wardrobe ended up in pieces one time in fourth grade. His aunt tried to stop the two cousins until fifth grade, declaring it impossible when they managed to still torment each other despite being locked in separate rooms. 

“He wanted to skip school today,” his aunt said. “I told him no, of course. If he was going to skip school because of pink hair, it would be weeks before he went back.”

“I had bought the dye weeks ago, and had already decided not to use it,” he informed her. “But then he had to go and laugh at my misery.”

His aunt laughed again, causing the corners of his lips to tilt upwards. “Well, I have to leave for work now, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Alright, Mizuki-san. Have fun at work.”

He schooled his face back into its resting expression as he hung up. It was perfect timing, too, because he had arrived at the school gates as soon as he bade his aunt goodbye. And he was about to enter school grounds when he stopped in his tracks, detecting an ominous presence.

His eyes immediately wandered in the direction of the gym, and saw his cousin practically charging him. Without even blinking, Tobio pulled out his phone, snapped a picture to commemorate his hot-pink-haired cousin. Once it was saved in his photos, he turned around and walked back in the direction he came from.

“Get back here, you piece of shit!” his cousin roared. He obviously did not listen, sensing his life was threatened.

Tobio did not get very far, however, because his cousin—the fucking bastard—had ran. Kentarou grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragged him back into the school, and threw him on the ground. He landed on his butt hard enough that he knew it would bruise.

His cousin fisted the front of his shirt, pushing him into the ground as he growled, “Do you want to explain  _ this _ , asshole?” The older boy was pointing at his head.

The younger averted his eyes, two hands on his cousin’s arm trying to push the wing spiker away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he lied smoothly. “I have no explanation for you dying your hair pink.”

He kept an expression of indifference, masking all signs of amusement. It did not placate his cousin in any way, seeming to only anger him further. “Don’t fuck with me” Kentarou snarled. “Are you going to cut with bullshit, or do I have to fucking wring it out of you?”

Some came and yanked cousin off of him, and he turned to see Iwaizumi-san was using his body as a wall between him and Kentarou. “Enough, Kyoutani,” his soulmate ordered harshly. The third year was restraining his cousin with two arms around Kentarou’s shoulders. “Don’t harass a first-year.”

“Fucking stay out of this!” his cousin screamed.

“Are you okay, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked him, as he crouched down and examined him with a concerned expression.

He covered a hand over his mouth to hide his smirk. “I’m fine,” he told the setter.

Despite his cousin’s very rough handling, he had no injuries other than a bruised butt. His cousin would never hurt him over a prank, no matter how angry he was. Besides, their pranks have escalated far worse than dyed hair, and even then they settled all of their differences within a day. 

“Do you need help getting up?” Oikawa-san asked him, offering a hand.

He stared at it for a long moment before tentatively placing his own over it. His soulmate’s hand was warm, slightly bigger than his own, with long fingers and manicured nails. They were setter hands that reflected his seriousness towards his position.

The third year stood up, pulling him up along. He placed the weight on his right leg as he was helped to his feet, only balancing on both legs when he was full upright. “Thank you,” he muttered softly.

“Kyoutani!” an old man with dark hair and grey eyes yelles. He marched towards them with a disapproving expression. “What do you think you’re doing? How dare you harass a first year?”

Ah, this was great. His prank had gone way better than he had expected it would. Tobio had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing.

“I wasn’t harassing him!” his cousin argued indignantly, struggling to escape from Iwaizumi-san’s hold. 

“Are you alright, son?” the old man asked. 

His smile widened behind his hand as an idea formed in his head. He allowed his body to visibly shake with the effort to hold in his laughter, and Tobio furrowed his brows slightly in mock confusion.

“I’m...fine,” he breathed softly. “Just a little startled.”

Kentarou obviously knew what he was trying to do, and growled, “Motherfucker.”

His body shook even more as it was becoming exceedingly harder to keep in his laugh. Seeing this and probably thinking the shaking was out of fear, the old man grabbed Kentarou’s arm in an iron grip. “You’re coming with me to the guidance office.”

That was bad. Maybe he took his acting too far because he definitely did not want his cousin suspended. “Umm,” he began, stopping the old man where he was. “I-I don’t think it’s necessary for Kyoutani-san to go to the guidance office. I was only a little surprised.”

“Are you sure?” the old man asked. He nodded, and the elder sighed. “Alright, but he still needs to be punished.” A yank on his cousin’s arm. “You’re going to be cleaning the gym instead of the first years today.”

His cousin sent him a withering glare that had him hiding his smile behind his hand. Kentarou mouthed a few words he recognized as, “Watch your back after school.”

Tobio waited until both the old man and his cousin were out of ear shot, before clutching his stomach and bursting into laughter. That had been a hundred times better than he had expected from his prank. The fact that his cousin got punished...that was the icing on the cake. 

Before they completely disappeared into the gym, he pulled out his phone and snapped a quick picture. Both this one and the one before could be used to embarrass him in the future, and he would  _ definitely  _ make use of them.

Tobio was still staring at the pictures as he turned around and headed into the school, ignorant to the stares pinned on his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this one was another filler type of chapter intended to move the story along. It was also meant to expose a different side of Tobio to Tooru and Hajime.
> 
> The fact that Tobio acted like he was innocent made this one of my favorite chapters. Why? I don't know, but it is. And Kentarou with pink hair is the best. I don't care what you say, it won't change my mind.
> 
> Anyways, next chapter will be this one in Hajime's perspective. So look forward to it.
> 
> P.S. Sorry that that I did two fillers in a row, but like I said before, it's intended to move the story along.


	32. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime had promised himself then and there that he would apologize to Kageyama. Apologize for the cruelty he had inflicted on the younger boy in junior high. Apologize for any part he had in that storm of emotions. Apologize and ask for forgiveness—something he could only hope to receive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hajime's perspective as promised.
> 
> Enjoy.

If there was one moment in his life Hajime wished he could take back, it would be when he rejected his youngest soulmate. 

_“We...we don’t think it’s a good idea...to accept you into our bond...I’m sorry...”_

Ocean-blue eyes—eyes wrought with endless resentment and grief—occasionally appeared in his sleep, piercing his soul as they haunted him with their intensity. His own words cursed him as they resounded through the abyss of darkness. He would wake up from those nightmares with cold sweat crawling down his back and tears streaming from his eyes. 

It had only worsened in his second year of high school, when the despair and hurt and frustration crashed into him through the bond. The emotions were overwhelming, clutching around his heart and squeezing until he could not breathe. 

Hajime had assured through a quick phone call that it was not Tooru. Which could only mean one other person was responsible for that storm.

The nightmares became a more frequent occurrence from the on, appearing at least once a week. As though damning him for what he had done. For the pain he had caused to the bright-eyed boy two years his junior.

And when he realized that his soulmate had disappeared...Hajime had been terrified. Even though the rational part of his mind told him that the soulmark was still there, his mind raced to the emotions he had felt. Both he and Tooru had begun imagining the worst.

He was relieved beyond hell when spring came and third year began, when he read the name of his soulmate on the roster of incoming freshmen. _Tobio Kageyama_. Never had the sight of a name brought him more joy than it did then.

Hajime had promised himself then and there that he would apologize to Kageyama. Apologize for the cruelty he had inflicted on the younger boy in junior high. Apologize for any part he had in that storm of emotions. Apologize and ask for forgiveness—something he could only hope to receive. 

But the young setter had not shown up the first day of practice. Kageyama, who had lived and breathed volleyball, had not shown up to practice. 

His first thought was as to whether he had read the kanji wrong, whether he had simply imagined the name on the list. But a quick conversation with Kunimi had quickly assured him otherwise.

When he saw his younger soulmate on the second day of school...he had been rendered absolutely speechless.

Because in the time they had not seen Kageyama, their soulmate had grown into someone straight out of a fashion magazine. He had grown into a lean, muscular build that complimented his tall height; his wide, ocean-blue eyes had become slightly sharper; his head of raven was slightly longer as well, but still had the same silky, soft appearance; his features that were once delicate were now more defined. Most surprising of all, he now had piercings. _Piercings._

It was only when he realized that Kageyama was about to run away did he snap out his daze and blurt out the first words he could think of. 

Hajime hated himself for the confusion swirling in his soulmate’s eyes at a simple question asking towards his well-being. 

Hated himself even more when his stomach twisted with dark jealousy as he watched the younger boy rush towards a second-year wing spiker. He had no right— _no right whatsoever_ —to be feeling the way he did. But the worry clouding those ocean-blue eyes, the panic that screamed from his body, spoke to a deep, deep relationship.

He had been forced to witness that relationship again a week later. After the sight of him and Tooru had him looking sick to his stomach, simply sitting next to Kyoutani seemed to calm him down.

Neither Hajime or Tooru should have cornered him into conversation that night, but panic had settled quicker than their minds could think. Having witnessed the intimate relationship Kageyama had with their second-year wing spiker had them restless to do...something.

And when his youngest soulmate screamed his anger at them that night, he thought they deserved it.

* * *

Hajime’s eyes were drawn to the door when he heard his soulmate burst into laughter beside him, pointing at whatever sight that had caused his amusement. And what he saw…

Kyoutani with hot-pink hair was interesting to say the least. The bright color completely contradicted the deep scowl on his lips and seething glare in his eyes. The second-year was radiating with anger, and his cheeks were tinged slightly red with embarrassment. 

“Are you going for a new look, Kyouken-chan?” Tooru howled. “I have to say, pink suits you very well.”

“Shut your trap,” the younger boy growled. 

“You’re not very intimidating with that hair, Kyoutani,” Matsukawa said, joining in with their captain.

“What the hell even happened?” Hanamaki asked, a smirk on his face as well.

“A fucking brat replaced my shampoo,” the wing spiker answered, his fists clenching into fists.

Hajime would have joined in with the laughter, too, if he had not sensed that pushing the second-year further would likely end in bloodshed. He smacked the back of his soulmate’s head to warn him to stop, earning a whine from the setter.

“Enough,” he stated. “We have to start warm-ups now.”

Everything had been going well for an hour, and they had been on a small break when it had happened. Kyoutani, who had been grabbing the bottle he placed near the entrance, slammed the doors open and practically charged out.

Confused at the situation, he ran to see where the second-year was going, only to catch sight of his other soulmate in the distance. Kageyama was standing just slightly behind the school gate, his phone out and pointed towards the charging wing spiker, before he quickly turned backwards and disappeared around the corner. It was as though it were a cue for Kyoutani to start sprinting at the first-year.

By now, most of the volleyball players were gathered at the door to watch the scene before them

Hajime watched as Kyoutani dragged his soulmate back into school grounds by the collar of the neck, tossing him onto the ground shortly after. That had been what spurred him into action as he rushed towards the two, Tooru following him close behind. 

He did not hear any of their conversation, but Kageyama had obviously been pushing at the arm pinning him to the ground, and Hajime was not going to leave his soulmate like that when he was clearly uncomfortable.

He crouched beside them, roughly pushing Kyoutani away from the boy on the ground. “Enough, Kyoutani,” he ordered firmly. When the second-year looked like he was about to pin the other boy again, he grabbed him by the shoulder to restrain him. “Don’t harass a first year!”

“Fucking stay out of this!” the spiker screamed.

Hajime had to tighten his hold, watched as his soulmate helped his other soulmate up from his feet. It did not escape his notice when Kageyama shifted his weight onto both feet when he was standing upright, having become observant ever since Tooru had sprained his knee from over practicing. 

His mind thought back to what the setter had told him about their younger soulmate the other day, how his leg had collapsed when he was startled. And a thought began forming in his mind when it was interrupted by a yell.

“Kyoutani!” Coach Irihata looked outraged as he marched towards them. “What do you think you’re doing? How dare you harass a first year?”

“I wasn’t harassing him,” Kyoutani argued, sounding indignant as he struggled in Hajime’s arms. He had to tighten his hold even further.

Coach Irihata turned to Kageyama and asked, “Are you alright, son?”

And worry clouded his mind as he watched his soulmate shake with what seemed like fear. A hand was covering his mouth and his brows were furrowed in confusion, as though he had no idea what he had done wrong. Hajime had the sudden urge to wrap his arms around the younger boy and comfort him. 

“I’m...fine. Just a little startled.” No one would believe that with how much he was shaking.

Kyoutani barked out, “Motherfucker!” at the sight. Hajime was tempted to headbutt the second-year.

He was forced to let go of the younger boy, however, when the coach grabbed his arm. “You’re coming with me to the guidance office.”  
  


“Umm,” Kageyama said. “I-I don’t think it’s necessary for Kyoutani-san to go to the guidance office. I was only a little surprised.”

“Are you sure?” the old man asked, surprised. Even Hajime was surprised when the first-year looked terrified only a moment ago. But when his soulmate nodded, the old man only sighed. The coach yanked on the spiker’s arm. “Alright, but he still needs to be punished.You’re going to be cleaning the gym instead of the first years today.”

Kageyama watched as they left, and because he was still shaking, Hajime reached out for him. He was about to open his mouth and ask if the younger boy was alright when his soulmate clutched his stomach and burst into laughter.

He froze. He had heard him laugh the other day, but was short and barely audible and he had muffled the sound before it could truly be heard. Now though…

It was beautiful, a husky and soft sound that sent butterflies fluttering in his stomach. His eyes were crinkled slightly at the corners and his smile was blinding. 

He vaguely registered Kageyama pulling out his phone before he walked towards the school, unaware of the fact that Hajime and Tooru were staring at him.

He only snapped out his daze when Matsukawa put his hand on his shoulder. “You okay, man?” the other third-year asked. “You two’ve been standing here for ten minutes.”

No, he wanted to say. No, he was not okay. He might never be okay ever again. Not when he just witnessed something short of a miracle, and knowing he might never see it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I had classes today that I couldn't ignore and ended up having to start later than usual. I also had a lot of trouble trying to figure out how to write it different than I wrote Tooru's.
> 
> Anyways, comment below what you thought of this chapter. I'm really happy with how it turned out.


	33. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So what?” he asked. “Practice can only do so much. What if I forget the piece?”
> 
> “Then your fingers will remember,” the older man answered calmly, a complete contrast to his rising panic.
> 
> “What if I mess up the tempo?”
> 
> “You won’t.”
> 
> “What if I accidentally press the wrong key?” he demanded. “It’s very likely with the technique and tempo of this piece.”
> 
> “You won’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the time for the competition has arrived!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Kentarou had not visited him that day to return the favor. His cousin had gone straight home after practice. According to Akihiro-san, the older boy had acted completely normal. His scowl had been no deeper than usual, and his mood was pleasant, even—well, as pleasant as he could be. It was not long before a week passed, and still, his cousin had yet to do anything. 

On a normal week, this would have been exceedingly worrisome. On a normal week, he would be checking every corner of every room he stepped in. On a normal week, he would be barricading every door in his house. On a normal week, he would be watching his cousin’s every movement to brace himself for what inevitably would come. But this was not a normal week.

This week was the week of the preliminaries for the All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest. 

He had skipped school the last two day before the day of the competition, spending the time practicing the piano. The set piece, Liszt’s Un Sospiro, was quite difficult with the left hand and right hand trading off the melody; it required successful handling of arpeggios and hand crossing. However, the challenge in playing it was producing a beautiful tone color and shaping the melody all the while maintaining the technique. 

And now, sitting in the car as Tadaaki-san drove him to the contest, he was constantly tapping the melody of the piece with his foot, fearful that he would forget.

“You should calm down, Tobio-sama,” the older man advised. “Panicking now will do more harm than good.”

“I know that,” he hissed, “but I can’t help it. I haven’t been to a contest in years.”

“You’ve been to volleyball matches,” the driver pointed out. “I doubt the atmosphere would be much different.”

“Excuse me?” he snarled. “It’s way different.”

In a volleyball match, players are focused solely on the performance of their own team and the team they are playing. In a piano competition, the pianists had no choice but to listen to the other performances as they waited in anticipation for their turn. It was common for competitors to be overwhelmed before they even began performing. It would then affect their playing as a result. And unlike volleyball matches, where there was a chance to regain the points lost, a pianist is evaluated on their single performance.

So, yeah. It was very different.

Tadaaki-san only laughed at his agitation. “You will do fine. I know you’ve practiced the piece countless times before.”

“So what?” he asked. “Practice can only do so much. What if I forget the piece?”

“Then your fingers will remember,” the older man answered calmly, a complete contrast to his rising panic.

“What if I mess up the tempo?”

“You won’t.”

“What if I accidentally press the wrong key?” he demanded. “It’s very likely with the technique and tempo of this piece.”

“You won’t.”

“How do you know that!”

“Because you are the last person I would expect to break under pressure,” Tadaaki-san answered simply. “And during your panic session, you have not once thought about _not_ performing.”

“Well, obviously,” he said dumbly. “Why the hell would I _not_ perform after dedicating hours of practice to playing this piece? What’s your point?”

“My point, Tobio-sama,” Tadaaki-san said, “is that if you can still perform despite your nervousness, I see no reason why you can’t perform with the same adequacy as your practice.”

“It’s not that simple!” he exclaimed. “The judges, the other pianists, and the audience—”

“Isn’t it?” the man quickly interrupted. “As far as I see it, the audience and the judges and the other competitors don’t matter one bit. You just have to play the piano as you want to play it.”

“I—”

“Or are you going to tell me that you’re scared?” Tadaaki-san taunted. “Is the arrogant young master coming down with a case of stage fright?”

“Of course not,” he scowled. 

“Then you have nothing to be nervous about,” the driver stated.

Tobio sent him a withering glare that had the man smiling in amusement. Despite his annoyance, however, the conversation with the older man had helped him calm down. It had soothed his nerves enough that he was no longer tapping the melody of Un Sospiro with his foot.

It was no coincidence that Tadaaki-san had been the one to accompany him, rather than his uncle or aunt. The man had spent more time with him than both Akihiro-san and Mizuki-san. As a child, Tobio had sought out the older man for advice and often confided his doubts in him. Tadaaki-san probably understood him far more than anyone else—even more than Kentarou. His cousin would have no idea what to do in this type of situation, and would likely only make it worse. 

“We’ve arrived, Tobio-sama,” the driver announced, parking the car.

He stepped out of the car, breathing far easier than he had when he got in. Tobio was instantly bombarded with a flurry of noise as people flooded into the contest venue. It only became louder once he actually entered the building, conversations overlapping each other and causing people to raise their voices in order to be heard.

“I’ll go to the waiting room,” he informed Tadaaki-san, taking the note of the crowd. “Could you check in for me?”

The attendant nodded in response. “I’ll search for you backstage once I finish.”

He found the waiting room with relative ease, having been in this venue for a previous competition when he was younger, and was met with a room of competitors once he entered. No one paid attention to him—a mercy on his once-again rising nerves—all of them focused on reviewing the notes or concentrating for their performance.

Tobio sat down at a table in the corner, choosing to read the texts his family sent him rather than review for his performance. He would probably only make himself more nervous doing so.

_Have fun, Tobio!_ his aunt said. _Don’t worry too much about winning, dear._

_Enjoy yourself, Tobio,_ his uncle told him. _Play the piano for me when you get home._

And Kentarou—the fucking bastard—sent him a text that read, _You probably won’t win, so don’t beat yourself up so much over losing._

“Your turn will be up soon, Tobio-sama,” Tadaaki-san told him as he came in, holding a brochure of the program. “You should start preparing yourself.”

“Thanks, Tadaaki-san,” he muttered, taking steady breaths.

In truth, Tobio had no need to prepare himself. He had been preparing since the first note he played a few months back—

_Oh._ Tadaaki-san had been right. There really was no point in worrying when he had already dedicated so much time practicing for this moment. He simply had to play as he had been doing until now. 

_“Next, number 22…Performance by number 22...Tobio Kageyama-kun.”_

Greeted by blinding lights and welcoming claps, he did not hesitate as he walked towards the piano.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After 31 chapters, its finally time for Tobio to perform! I highly recommend looking up the the hand movements of the piece on youtube before reading the next chapter. It's amazing how much the hands mover around during this piece.
> 
> Next chapter will be his performance, so look forward to it. Hope you enjoyed this one.


	34. Chapter Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first note resounded. A sweet, mellow sound that came out sharp and clear, engulfing the entire venue in a transcendental atmosphere. It set the tone for what was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE PERFORMANCE IS HERE! 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it.

His path towards the piano was a short one, the distance closing quicker than he had anticipated. It did not matter though, because the air was now prickling with tension as he took his seat at the bench.

His suit, an article of clothing that he had not worn in years, rustled as he sat. He had taken extra care in choosing the material, which was a smooth, high-quality silk that had been tailored perfectly to his measurements. It was a breathable fabric and natural temperature regulator that would provide him with maximum comfort and mobility during his performance. The color was a simple but effective black that projected his presence on the huge stage.

Beginning his finger stretching, he closed his fingers into his hand, holding the position for about three seconds before releasing. He repeated the process multiple times. He then bended each finger independently, and ended by rubbing his hands together. His hands and finger had to be in a completely relaxed state to perform this piece.

Tobio breathed out deeply, trying his best not to mind the burning stares of the audience as he placed his hands on the piano keys. The smooth, glossy surface was still warm from the previous performance, the temperature grounding him to the instrument.

The first note resounded. A sweet, mellow sound that came out sharp and clear, engulfing the entire venue in a transcendental atmosphere. It set the tone for what was to come.

Un Sospiro translated to “A Sigh,” and did not actually originate from Liszt, who had always referred to his pieces by key. However, he thought the title suited the soft and fluttering piece well. 

Whenever he played it, Tobio was always reminded of a cascade of light drops raining down through darkness. Every arpeggio represented the twinkling sound as the drops hit an ocean of unseeable water beneath, every crescendo reflected the moment a gentle shower of light turned into a harsh downpour. It was a piece that was both excited and calming. A piece that seemed to be a cleansing of pain and despair—a revitalization of joy and hope.

Entering into the fifth bar of the piece, where there was both a crescendo and decrescendo, he could hear laughter in the distance. A high-pitched, childish sound that was the embodiment of happiness. 

Another crescendo had the sound of laughter coming closer. More clear. More distinct. And he basked in the warmth, the joy, the utter freedom that that sound brought. Absolutely entranced, everything seemed to fade around him. The judges, the audience—none of that mattered. He was suspended in time, floating in space. It was simply him and the piano and the music.

Several figures floated before him.

His mother, with her hauntingly cold eyes and perpetually disapproving frown. She was as beautiful as ever, her milky complexion and flowing hair making her appear almost ethereal.

Oikawa-san, with his resentful glare and condescending smile. He was dressed in the uniform of Kitagawa Daiichi, a volleyball in hand. 

Iwaizumi-san, with his green eyes averted and arms crossed. He, too, was dressed in the Kitagawa Daiichi.

Kindaichi, with his hateful sneer. He had his back turned as he glared over his shoulder.

Kunimi, with the same expression as always. He was mouthing the word _King_.

All five of them stood together, divided from him by a chasm miles wide. A chasm that seemed to grow wider and wider and wider...until he could no longer see them.

Tobio turned away, letting the light drops wash away the remnants of the five figures. He let the music wash over him as well.

A crescendo in the eighteenth bar had the laughter coming closer than ever before. It was practically next to his ear at this point. The sound freed something in him, and he descended into his playing with even greater focus and intensity.

He was reminded of a time when he was in third grade. Six months after his mother had lost custody of him.

His cousin had been absent that day, and some of the other students in his class had taken advantage of the fact. They had cornered him during recess, taunting him about how he had no parents. How his aunt and uncle would abandon him like his mother did. They sneered, asking why his aunt and uncle would even take in someone like him. And because he had been wondering the same thing for weeks, he had believed every word.

He had gone home that day and holed himself in his room, refusing to talk to anyone. Not even Tadaaki-san. He did not want to admit that he was as worthless as his mother had said he was. Did not want to be subjected to those same words from his aunt and uncle. And he had planned to stay in his room the rest of the day.

But his cousin had other plans. Kentarou had dragged him to the park...where he had tied the three kids who had bullied him to a tree. High enough that the dogs barking beneath them could not reach—the bacon tied to the kids’ toes, however, certainly had the animals trying.

He had left them there until their parents had come to get them. The adults had dragged him and his cousin to their home, demanding an apology from his uncle. Akihiro-san had then proceeded to ask whether they had evidence that _his children_ were the ones responsible. And when he came inside for dinner, his aunt had prepared pork curry with a hot-spring egg on top.

He had laughed brighter than he ever had that day.

Sweat crawled down his back as he entered into the last bars of the piece. The twenty-sixth, twenty-seventh, twenty-eight. It led into a fortissimo as the final, thirtieth bar and approached.

Breathless and panting at this point, he entered into the last crescendo, following with the final arpeggio. Despite his exhaustion, every note was as clear as the beginning.

The last note echoed into silence. It wrapped around his heart, embracing him in its excitement, and seeped into his soul.

He sighed with a smile on his lips as he basked in the euphoria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I was able to the piano justice, but I highly doubt it. There's only so much I can actually write without any actual experience, but I'm satisfied with how this chapter came out. It was hard to write, too.
> 
> I tried to shows through the chasm scene that Tobio had finally let go of anything regardiing Hajime, Tooru, Kunimi, and Kindaichi. It's a completely new beginning for him from now onwards.
> 
> This chapter also highlights a turning point. From here on, the story will focus on how Tobio will forgive the ones who had hurt him.
> 
> Did I live up to your expectations with this chapter?
> 
> P.S. The Haikyuu episode that comes out today is the same one I've been waiting for since I've read the manga. You have no idea how much I want to see Tobio in this episode.


	35. Chapter Thirty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For him to receive such a high praise from the audience had tears burning his eyes. A moment like this reminded him why he had first fallen in love with the piano. All that time he had spent practicing...all the frustrations he had endured...all of it was worth it. If Tobio could speak to and touch the hearts of so many people with his music, everything was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically the aftermath of the performance as well as the results.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

A rupture of applause brought him back to reality, deafening in its volume and intensity. He turned towards his right side to greet the sight of a standing ovation. 

With a mixture of pride and embarrassment settled in his chest as he rose from the bench, bowing deeply in gratitude. He could vaguely register the spotlight on him, overwhelmed by unending cheers.

“Encore! Encore!”

For him to receive such a high praise from the audience had tears burning his eyes. A moment like this reminded him why he had first fallen in love with the piano. All that time he had spent practicing...all the frustrations he had endured...all of it was worth it. If Tobio could speak to and touch the hearts of so many people with his music, everything was worth it.

_ “The performance just now was number 22...Tobio Kageyama-kun.” _

Remnants of the euphoria he felt from his performance still remained, refusing to go away even as he disappeared behind the curtains of the stage and returned to the waiting room. The sound of applause still echoing after him did little to calm the racing of his heart.

He was met with a chorus of whispers and an onslaught of stares as soon as the door closed behind him. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but he did not let it unnerve him. He straightened to his full height, a confident, almost arrogant tilt to his head as he searched for his attendant. 

He found the man within seconds of looking around, and walked towards him with smooth strides, Tadaaki-san, who had been sitting at the same table in the corner that he had been at before he stepped up stage, stood up as he approached.

His attendant congratulated with warm eyes and a gentle smile, patting his head with fondness. “Your performance was absolutely astounding, Tobio-sama,” the man praised. “I told you there was nothing to be worried about.”

Feeling light from the aftermath of his performance, he did not even rise to the taunting. Instead, he muttered out a small, “Thanks,”’ as he leaned into the hand patting his head. A small rush of heat dusted his cheeks at his childness, but he was craving touch after he had lost himself so deeply into the music. He needed something to ground him to the present.

“Shall we go outside?” his attendant suggested. “It might be best for you to take a breath of fresh air.”

Nodding his agreement, he followed as the man guided him through the building and out the doors. Tobio breathed in the May breeze deeply. He heard a bird chirp in the distance and leaves rustling from the wind, they helped him clear his mind and calmed the ringing in his ears. 

“Better?” Tadaaki-san asked, watching carefully as he handed Tobio a bottle of water. “You seemed a bit breathless back there.”

He swallowed a mouthful of water before answering, “Obviously. A piece of that tempo and with that many arpeggios would leave anyone a bit breathless.”

With the separation between him and the venue, he was left with a sense of loss and emptiness now that the euphoria had dwindled to a mild buzz of excitement. It was a somber state compared to his previous high, and Tobio was itching to play the piano once more.

“I’ve decided,” he declared abruptly, taking another swig of the water bottle.

“And what have you decided, exactly, Tobio-sama?” his attendant asked somewhat cautiously. Tadaaki-san was acutely familiar with the fact that his ideas rarely ended with good results.

“Don’t be so suspicious,” he told the man, a little indignant. “It’s nothing to be worried about.”

“And what is that I shouldn’t be worried about?”

He shrugged indifferently. “I’ve simply decided to become a professional piano player.”

Tadaaki-san gave him a long, drawn-out stare before saying, “I thought you had decided that months ago.”

“I’ve entertained the idea of it,” he corrected.

When he regained his passion, Tobio had announced that he would pursue a career in music. It had been a spur of the moment declaration, one that had been incited by his new fervor for the piano. He had actually not considered it so deeply until now, but he was certain. He wanted—he  _ needed _ —to play more. He needed more of the piano. His entire being was screaming for it.

“But I’m serious now,” he stated. “I will do everything in my power to become a professional.”

His attendants’s mouth quirked up slightly at the determination etched in his expression, at the intensity that was now undoubtedly burning in his eyes. A deep chuckle escaped from his lips as the older man ruffled his hair. “Then I will do everything in  _ my _ power to support your dream.”

He scowled at the childish treatment. “Use that time to find yourself a partner,” Tobio ordered. “Otherwise, you’ll die a miserable, lonely old man.”

“You little brat.” A brow twitched in irritation as Tadaaki-san then proceeded to push his head down with considerable force. “Watch that mouth of yours,” he warned.

“I’m your employer!” he argued, pushing against the arm forcing his head down.

“Your uncle is my employer,” the attendant corrected. “You, my beloved young master, are an unfortunate byproduct of my employment.”

He aimed a seething glare as he snarled, “I should tell Akihiro-san to fire you already. I don’t know why I still tolerate your behavior.”

“Because you absolutely adore me, Tobio-sama,” the man cooed, knowing he was only saying it for the sake of saying it.

A scowl etched itself deep onto his face. “Don’t be delusional.” 

Both of them returned into the building shortly after, waiting for the results of the preliminaries to be announced. They were not the only ones either, seeing as a huge crowd had already gathered in front of the board where the qualifiers would be announced.

He watched with anticipation as a member of the competition staff pinned the poster, allowing the crowd to clear slightly before he confirmed the scores.

It was not as though he prioritized winning when he was performing, but the immense elation that coursed through him when he saw his name at the top threatened him to collapse onto his knees then and there.

  
A perfect score—Tobio had gotten a perfect score.

Becoming a professional pianist did not seem to be such a distant dream. 

When he went to sleep that night, the elation had yet to leave him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a much easier time writing this chapter than I did the previous one. It was a very satisfying chapter to write, considering it showed how much the performance actually meant to him. 
> 
> Also, I love writing Tadaaki and Tobio's interactions. They're a lot more mature than his interactions with Kentarou, which is appropriate since Tadaaki is an adult, but still has that teasing quality to it. I just love it so much.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. I'll also be doing one or two chapter on the finals of the competition, but that will be a few more chapters into the future. Look forward to it.


	36. Chapter Thirty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He should have known that Kentarou would have tried something while he was gone for the competition. He really should have realized that his cousin would never wait until after the preliminaries to get his revenge. He really, really should have known consideration was nonexistent when it came to payback. He really, really, really should have known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD!!! This has been my favorite chapter to write so far. Kentarou finally gets his payback.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

He should have known that Kentarou would have tried something while he was gone for the competition. He really should have realized that his cousin would never wait until after the preliminaries to get his revenge. He really, really should have known consideration was nonexistent when it came to payback. He really, really, _really_ should have known.

He had not gone home after seeing the results, choosing to stay at a nearby hotel instead. As such, he had also skipped school the day after the competition, which had been held on a Sunday, in favor of getting some rest at home. And he would have done exactly that...had he not entered his apartment to find the entire place pink.

_Everything_ , from the carpets to the lights, was _pink._ His cousin had replaced the brown leather couch with a pink one, had taken out all the things in his kitchen and exchanged them with pink versions, and whatever was not able to turn pink was covered with a pink wrap. Even the piano had a pink wrap over it.

“That motherfucking, piece of shit asshole,” he snarled, storming through the apartment. 

When he entered his bedroom, he had found it in the same condition as the rest of his home. His mattress was pink, his blankets were pink, his pillows were pink, and the pillows were pink. His desk was replaced with a pink version, and his entire wardrobe had been dyed pink.

“I’m going to fucking kill him.”

Every article of clothing he had, from pants to shirts to jackets, were now entirely pink. Even his underwear was pink.

He glanced at his alarm, which had _also_ been replaced with a pink version, and saw that school would have ended by now. Knowing that the volleyball club had Mondays off for rest, he whipped out his phone and immediately rang up his cousin.

Kentarou answered on the second ring. “Yes?” It infuriated him even more to hear the innocent tone of the bastard’s voice.

“WHAT THE FUCKING HELL DID YOU FUCKING DO TO MY FUCKING HOUSE, UOU FUCKING BAST—”

The phone cut off, setting him seething even more. It was fortunate for him, though, that he managed to hear some other voices mumbling in the background. It was easy to guess who they belonged to, considering his cousin had no friends.

He pulled up Kunimi’s number in his contacts, not caring much for their recent argument at the moment. His priority at the moment was dealing with his fucking asshole of a cousin.

The other boy picked up almost instantly. “Hello, Kunimi?” he greeted, straining himself to keep his voice at a normal volume.

“Kageyama,”the voice on the other line sounded surprised. “Wh-what can I do for you?”

“Where are you at right now?” he asked, straight-to-the-point. He was not wasting any time. 

“Huh? Umm...we’re about to go to the restaurant from the other day for some team bonding.”

“Thanks.” He hung up.

Glancing down at his clothes—a high rise black pair of ripped jeans and a slightly oversized, long-sleeved white blouse tucked on one side—before storming out the apartment. He had intended to change out of them, but it was impossible now that every other piece of clothing he owned was fucking _pink._

The employees of the complex gave him curious glances as he exited, but quickly averted their eyes once they saw the pure rage radiating from him. In fact, most of the people on the street avoided him as he marched past. He paid them no attention, his mind concentrated on finding Kentarou. 

It was easy to find the restaurant again, having memorized the direction from the last time he visited. He arrived just as the volleyball club came into view, and immediately charged towards the group.

“ _YOU FUCKING, PIECE OF SHIT, ASSHOLE OF A BASTARD_ ,” he snarled once he saw his cousin’s.

Kentarou caught his eyes, registered the seething expression etched on his face, and turned to leave.

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!”

His cousin ran into multiple people in the hurry to escape, buying him enough time to speed his walking slightly to catch up with the bastard. Tobio did not hesitate to yank him by the front of the shirt, pulling him forward, and smashing their heads together. 

It caused them both to crouch to the ground, clutching their foreheads. An aching pain throbbed in his own skull, but Tobio could care less at the moment. His mind was still clouded by the haze of his anger towards what had been done to his home.

“That fucking hurt, you fucking bastard,” Kentarou hissed, scowling deeply.

“You fucking deserved it, you fucking asshole,” he growled. “What the fucking hell do you fucking think you were fucking doing to my house?”

“It’s called a prank, fucktard,” Kentarou snapped. “Learn to take a fucking joke.”

“ _A joke_ ?” he seethed. “My apartment is _fucking pink_ ! My clothes are _fucking pink_ ! And you think that’s a _fucking joke_? Don’t fuck with me!”

“You dyed my _hair_ fucking pink!” 

“That was your own _fucking_ fault!”

“Like hell it was, you bastard! Your house was actually your _fucking_ fault!” 

Realizing he was getting nowhere with their arguing, he pushed the bastard to the ground. He used one hand to hold him down and the other hand to look for his cousin’s wallet. Once he found it in the pocket of the uniform pants, he dug it out and let go of the bastard to stand up.

Tobio searched through it and took out the platinum credit card before throwing the wallet back at his cousin. “I’ll be taking this,” he stated. 

He was about to leave when he was yanked by the back of his collar. “What do you think you’re doing with my card, you bastard?” his cousin demanded.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he snarled, twisting out of Kentarou’s grip. “I’m going to use it to replace everything in my apartment.”

He was stopped again by a grip on his arm. Tobio aimed a withering glare at his cousin, who growled, “Use your own money! It’s not like you don’t have enough of it.”

“It’s your fault I have to replace everything in the first place!” he argued.

“You have more money than me!”

“What’s your fucking point?”

They were about to break into another argument when they heard a cough at their side. He turned his glare towards the person who interrupted, who he realized was his soulmate.

Oikawa-san had a complicated expression, somewhere between amusement and something else he could not quite place. “I think you two should continue this inside,” the setter said. “You’re causing quite a scene.”

It was then he realized that everyone from the volleyball club had their gaze pinned on the two of them. Not just them either, passerbyers were glancing their way as well. Seeing this, embarrassment settled into his cheeks. “Right,” he mumbled.

“Then let’s finish this inside,” his cousin said, dragging him into the restaurant before he could protest. 

And Tobio somehow ended up sitting with the regulars of the Aoba Johsai volleyball club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo...what did you guys think about Kentarou's revenge prank? Was it as grand as you expected it?
> 
> Like I said at the beginning, this has been my favorite chapter to write so far. I had so much fun with the swearing. The best part was when Tobio headbutted his cousin. And the fact that they broke out into an argument...I think that perfectly describes their relationship with each other.
> 
> And can you imagine what the Seijoh was thinking watching this scene? I cannot stop smiling at this chapter.
> 
> I love everything about this chapter, so I hope you guys do as well.


	37. Chapter Thirty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou tilted his head into a condescending angle. “And you’re so great yourself? 
> 
> “Of course I am,” he stated, leaning back against his chair. “I’m rich, I’m talented, I’m smart, I’m beautiful. Need I go on?”
> 
> Mattsun-san whistled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the chapter, guys.
> 
> It's a light hearted one, so I hope you enjoy.

How he ended up sitting between two third-years, both of whom he barely knew the name of, Tobio did not know. All he knew was that he was not going to leave the restaurant until he acquired Kentarou’s credit card, which his cousin had taken back when they entered the restaurant.

Said cousin was currently sitting directly across from him, both of them having been separated from each other by the upperclassmen, who thought they would only end up fighting again should they be allowed to sit beside each other. He honestly could not blame them, because that was exactly what would have happened, but he could still be irritated as hell about it.

“You should stop glaring,” the upperclassman next to him instructed. “Picking a fight isn’t going to solve anything.”

The upperclassman, who he had often heard Oikawa-san call Makki, was staring at him with obvious interest. The hair he had thought to be a pinkish-brown was actually a light brown color upon closer inspection. His eyes were slightly beady, and above them were a set of short and slim eyebrows. He had a natural bored resting expression, and was considerably tall as well. Overall, he was relatively attractive, but it was not the kind of attraction that would draw a second glance.

“And who are you?” he asked with unconcealed annoyance. He did not want to be here, and most certainly did not want a stranger lecturing him. “I don’t see how this is any of your business.”

“You’re an impertinent brat, aren’t you?” the upperclassman sneered.

He scowled at the insult, but figured he should keep some semblance of politeness towards someone older than him. So, he turned his attention back to his cousin, who had somehow ordered multiple plates of food without his notice.

Every person from the volleyball club had ordered their food, in fact, and were now sitting at a table made up of a series of smaller tables. He was surrounded by strangers, and it only served to worsen his already rotten mood.

“Relax,” the other upperclassman next to him instructed. “No one here’s going to eat you or anything.”

He, the person Oikawa-san always called Mattsun, had messy, black hair and thick eyebrows. His mouth had a pronounced upper lip, and his eyes were sharp with hooded lids. He had a decent height for volleyball, taller than the other upperclassman by a few centimeters. This upperclassman was also attractive, something that seemed to be common among the people of the volleyball club.

“Mattsun’s right, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said, sitting in the seat diagonal to his. “Just relax and order some food.”

“No, thanks,” he declined. “I’m only here for Kentarou’s credit card. Once I have that, I’ll be leaving.”

“You might as well leave now then,” his cousin stated, biting a chunk out of the hamima chicken he ordered. “I’m not going to give you my credit card.”

“Like hell you’re not,” he growled. “You’re the reason why I need it to begin with!”

“I told you,” Kentarou scowled. “It isn’t my fault. I was only paying you back for what you did to my hair.”

His cousin’s hair was still pink in color, but the brightness had dulled already. “Stop overreacting,” he told the older boy. “It was temporary dye and your hair will be back to normal within a few weeks.  _ You _ , on the other hand, replaced every fucking thing in my apartment.”

“Your fault,” Kentarou repeated. “You gave me a key.”

He had could not even argue with that, because he  _ had _ been stupid enough to trust his cousin with a key to his home. Tobio was sincerely regretting it at the moment. How could he have known his cousin would turn his house pink?

It really was his own fault for giving the bastard access to his home. Groaning, he rested his forehead on the table as he reached a hand in front of him. “Give it back,” he ordered. 

“Why does Kyoutani have a key to your house, Kageyama?” he heard Iwaizumi-san ask, a dark tone to his voice.

“Did you not hear?” Tobio did not even bother to raise his head from the table as he answered, “Because I was stupid enough to give it to him.”

The two upperclassmen beside him snicker. For what, he did not know. And frankly, he did not care. He only wanted his key and his cousin’s credit card so that he could go home and rest.

Once he felt the cold touch of metal against his palm, he lifted his head to check that it actually was the key to his home. “Is this the actual one?” he questioned, taking out his own key to compare it. 

“Yeah.” It was true, so he pocketed both of them.

He eyed his cousin suspiciously. “Did you make a spare?” Tobio would not put it past Kentarou to replicate it.

“No,” the older boy answered, taking another bite from his chicken.

He did not believe him in the least. “I’ll call security on you if you invade my apartment,” he warned, earning a snort from his cousin.

“So how do you two know each other so well, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san chimed in, smiling brightly.

“That’s none of your business, Oikawa-san,” he stated. 

His smile became more strained at his reply, a brow twitching at the corner. The captain leaned forward on his elbows, resting his head in his hands. “I’m only curious,” the upperclassman said, “since you two seem close enough to give each other keys to your homes.”

There was a dangerous edge to his voice that warned Tobio to be cautious, causing him to tense. “So what?” he asked.

A hand reached behind Kentarou to smack Oikawa-san on the back of the head, earning a whine from the setter. “Mean, Iwa-chan.”

“Leave him alone, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi-san ordered, though there was a shadow in his eyes as well.

The hit to the head reminded Tobio why he was here to begin with, making him whirl on his cousin and level a seething glare at the older boy. “Give me your card already, you fucking bastard,” he snarled. “It’ll save us both the trouble if you just hand it over now.”

“No way in hell,” his cousin returned with equal hostility. “Use your own fucking money. You have more than me anyways.”

“What’s your fucking point?” Tobio demanded. “It’s not like it’ll hurt your bank account either.”

“The point is: I don’t want to give it to you.”

With a table separating them, he could not strangle his cousin in the way his hands were itching to. So instead, he resorted to kicking the bastard in the shin. He watched with deep satisfaction as Kentarou hissed in pain, raising his leg to clutch at where he kicked, only to drive the top of his knee into the corner of the table.

“Fucking brat,” the older boy snarled.

He ignored the string of curses aimed at him, wondering how he was going to get a hold of his cousin’s credit card. Tobio did not even need to take it with him; so long as he could look at it for a minute or two, he could memorize the number, security code, and expiration date.

“I’ve never seen someone try to agitate Kyoutani before,” Mattsun-san drawled. “I have to say that it’s extremely entertaining.”

Tobio snorted, but his cousin was not amused in the least. “Shut your trap,” his cousin demanded.

Now, how was he going to get his hands on his cousin’s credit card?

“Now, now, Kyouken-chan,” Oikawa-san said, as though he were placating a child. “You should show more respect towards your upperclassman.”

He could try to make a grab for his wallet again, but his cousin would be on guard for that. He would need a distraction for that.

“For once, the Captain’s right,” Makki-san agreed, ignoring the affronted gasp from the setter. 

Ah. An idea came to his head then. 

Kentarou crossed his arms. “I don’t see why I should respect people who have no redeeming qualities.”

“Coming from a guy who has no redeeming qualities of his own?” Tobio drawled, resting his head on one hand. He gave his cousin a sideways glance. “All you’re good for is picking a fight.”

Kentarou tilted his head into a condescending angle. “And you’re so great yourself? 

“Of course I am,” he stated, leaning back against his chair. “I’m rich, I’m talented, I’m smart, I’m beautiful. Need I go on?”

Mattsun-san whistled.

“You’re not smart,” his cousin said.

“You’re not going to deny the other things I said?” he asked, tilting his head.

Kentarou flushed a bright red as he repeated, “You’re not smart.”

“It’s called selective intelligence,” Tobio stated.

“Bullshit,” the other boy spat.

“I’m not the one failing my classes.”

“You have a shitty personality.”

“I learned only from the best.”

Kentarou opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, only to close it again. Completely red now, his cousin stood abruptly from his seat, muttering the excuse of, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

Tobio waited until the older boy disappeared around the corner to crawl under the table and dig through his cousin’s bag. 

“What are you doing, Kageyama?” he heard Iwaizumi-san ask.

He ignored the wing spiker in favor of searching through the bag. He eventually found the phone buried beneath shoes and a set of dirty clothes, but cursed when he could not locate what he was looking for.

“Do any of you have sports tape?” he asked no one in particular. 

“I have some in my bag, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stated, “but why do you need it?”

“Great. Can you let me borrow it real quick?” 

“Umm...sure?” 

He watched the setter dig through his own bag, taking the roll once it was handed. Tobio ripped off a piece of tape, rolling on his back and moving himself so he was under his cousin’s chair. He taped the phone to the bottom of the chair, using several more pieces of the adhesive to secure the device. 

Once he was done, he returned to his seat and handed the sports tape back to his soulmate with a small, “Thanks.” 

“Are you going to explain what just happened, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“No.” The setter’s brows furrowed in frustration at the answer, but he said nothing.

His cousin returned to his seat shortly after, unaware of what had just happened. He occupied himself by playing on his phone, waiting for the “team bonding” activity to end.

Once it finally did, he watched as his cousin dug through his bag to search for the phone. Kentarou always messaged Mizuki-san whenever he was about to go home.

“Where’s my phone?” his cousin demanded, glaring at him.

Tobio shrugged innocently, returning his attention back to own phone.

Kentarou scowled before asking someone from the volleyball club to call him. He watched as his cousin crouched down, waited until the older boy was on his back under the chair, before making a dive for the wallet in his pocket.

“You bastard,” his cousin barked out.

He ignored the struggling, securing his grip on the leather wallet and taking it into his hand. Tobio quickly found the credit card and threw the wallet to the side, carefully rereading the numbers.

It was about a minute later when his cousin came marching towards him, and Tobio handed the card back to him without protest. “Thanks for the money, Kentarou,” he mocked. “You have my sincerest gratitude.”

Evading all of his cousin’s attacks, he rushed out of the store and walked towards his apartment. All the while, screams of profanity followed behind him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think this chapter has much substance to the actual story, but I enjoyed writing it. Jealous IwaOi is the best and it introduces Issei and Takahiro to Tobio as well, so that's a plus.
> 
> I have nothing more to say than this, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's my longest one so far.


	38. Chapter Thirty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arpeggios seemed to be a theme in this year’s All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest, because the set piece for the finals was a song composed by Debussy called Claire de Lune. Despite having heard the song on multiple occasions before, he had actually never known the history of it nor did he know much about the composer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for being so late with the update. Here's chapter thirty-four.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Despite the fact that the finals of the competition was only a week away from the preliminaries, he had to spend an entire day shopping online and in stores to replace everything in his apartment—all of which totaled to over  _ half a million dollars _ .

He was not going to pay that much money because of a prank, whether he was rich or not. At least when he dyed his cousin’s hair, it cost Kentarou nothing. At most, his cousin would have had to wait a few weeks for the color to fade or spend a hundred dollars to bleach it again. He did not deserve to pay what could be considered a small fortune.

And so, that left Tobio with six days to research, practice, and perfect the set piece. Not exactly an ideal time frame for his liking.

“Where’s the school library?” he asked Kunimi during the passing period. 

Arpeggios seemed to be a theme in this year’s All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest, because the set piece for the finals was a song composed by Debussy called Claire de Lune. Despite having heard the song on multiple occasions before, he had actually never known the history of it nor did he know much about the composer.

Therefore, he needed to do some research. It was Tuesday currently, leaving only five days left until the finals, and he planned to dedicate the entire day to gathering information. For that, he needed to know where the library was.

“It should be opposite of the guidance office,” the other boy answered.

Both of them had reached a silent, tentative agreement to leave the topic of junior high alone. For now. Not that he intended to discuss it to begin with, but that was irrelevant.

“And where is the guidance office?” 

“You don’t know where the guidance office is?” Kunimi questioned.

“No,” he answered. “Am I supposed to?”

“Considering that’s where you go when you need to speak with your teachers, I’d say yes.”

“Why would I need to speak with teachers?”

“For questions about lessons.”

“I don’t have any questions though?” 

“But you’ve been passing all your classes,” Kunimi pointed out.

“Yeah. So what?” he asked with a tilt of the head.

What did asking the teachers have anything to do with passing his classes?

“Are you telling me you’ve been passing your classes without any help from the teacher?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, nodding his head.

“Have you been asking for help from someone else?” 

“No,” he stated, a little confused.

“You’ve skipped multiple days of school already.”

“So?”

Tobio honestly did not understand why he was being asked these questions. He also did not understand the shocked expression on the other boy right now.

“Anyways, are you going to tell me where the guidance office is?” he asked, going back to his original objective.

“It’s on the second floor of the school,” Kunimi said slowly. “If you go up the stairs and walk straight down the hallway, you should come across it eventually.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re going now?”

“Yes.”

“Class is about to start.”

“I don’t care.”

School was unnecessary in his mind, and he was passing all of his classes. He would much rather spend the time to gather information for his performance, rather than spend the time sitting in a classroom and listening to the teacher drone on about whatever they were learning about that day.

Following the instructions from Kunimi, he went up the stairs he usually used to get to the roof. Only this time, he stopped at the second floor. Tobio had never had a reason to walk through those hallways before, considering the second floor was reserved strictly for third-year students. Something about providing them the necessary environment to dedicate themselves to studying for college exams, he never really paid attention.

He found the guidance office easily enough, and sure enough, the library was directly across from it as well. Sliding open the door, he stepped inside and saw that it was practically empty. Not much of surprise, however, considering classes were currently in session and most students were attending the classes like the responsible people they were. 

It had worried him when there was no librarian to speak of, but the shelves were organized by genres, so he was able to find the general area of what he was looking for easily enough. He narrowed it down into two categories: music and history.

It was unlikely that he would find books dedicated solely to Claire de Lune and Claude Debussy, but he would find them as topics in books that covered a broader spectrum of related topics. He would therefore need to make use of the knowledge he currently had...the extent of which was not much to begin with:

  * Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862 in Paris, France.
  * He initiated a style of music called Impressionism at the end of the 19th century.
  * Claire de Lune translates to “Moonlight,” and is the third movement in a four-movement composition called _Suite Bergamasque_.



So yeah. He desperately needed to do some research. 

Tobio began looking in the music area of the library. He was pleased to see that the books were alphabetically organized by title, something that made his search exponentially easier. All he had to do was search for titles which included words and phrases such as France, styles of music, Impressionism, and the like.

...Or so he thought. As it turned out, there were not many books relating to Impressionism music in the school library. After ten minutes of scouring the shelves, he only managed to find two titles that seemed to be helpful:  _ Impressionism in Music _ and  _ Musical Impressionism: The Early History of the Term _ .

Another five minutes of no results had him switching to the history section of the library, where he found more luck in a book named,  _ Nineteenth-Century French Song: Fauré, Chausson, Duparc, and Debussy _ . He was hoping to find a biography on the composer, but his search came to naught.

And so, he sat down with the three books he managed to find after nearly thirty minutes of searching. Not exactly ideal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE!!!!! Every Sunday, I have to be somewhere from 10 - 5, sometimes even longer. I had managed to find the time to write about half the chapter, but was only able to finish it now. 
> 
> The next few chapter will focus on Tobio going through his process to prepare for a performance. I don't know if it's actually accurate to what real life pianists do, but I think including these parts about Tobio's preparation gives insight to Tobio's character in general. 
> 
> Also, Kunimi being surprised about Tobio passing his class without help makes me smile.
> 
> I will be working on the next chapter immediately after posting this one, so I should be able to post it as normal. However, I hope you understand if I can't manage to finish it in time.
> 
> Thank you for all your support so far. I love reading the comments--it always makes me smile--and it motivates me to improve my writing.


	39. Chapter Thirty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He leaned back against his chair, throwing his hands over the headrest, and sighed. Although he gathered a decent amount of knowledge about Impressionism, his knowledge about Claude Debussy and the history of Claire de Lune was severely lacking. 
> 
> “This. Fucking. Sucks,” he groaned to the ceiling. An hour and thirty minutes, and he barely accomplished anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I am so sorry for getting the last chapter out so late. As promised, this chapter is posted at the same time as usual.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

After spending an hour or so scanning through the first two books, Tobio had a general understanding of Impressionism in music and its origins:

  * Impressionism was a term borrowed from the style of painting from that period. It was a style that emphasized the idea of conveying moods rather than distinct melody lines. 
  * Pieces of Impressionism are intended to evoke feelings. This type of music was less fixated on details and perfection, and oftentimes produced blurred and vague music, but was still incredibly impactful.
  * One of the most significant characteristics was the unusual combinations of chords. Extra notes were added to regular chords to purposely make them less clear and dissonant. It was also common for the chords to lack a proper resolution, which leaves the audience feeling as though they were not anchored to a single key. It created the impression of floating through a keyless dreamland.
  * Whereas piano compositions were typically written in a specific key, composers of this style preferred to write songs that were not in any key. It was why Impressionism pieces were atonal.
  * Impressionist music also lacked a steady, defined rhythm. It was fluid and changeable.



Overall, he gathered that impressionistic music is not meant to be deeply emotional and personal, unlike the music of the Romantic era. It was meant to be detached, resembling a distant narrator, The purpose was to capture the essence and entirety of the song, but not define it.

When he moved onto the third book,  _ Nineteenth-Century French Song: Fauré, Chausson, Duparc, and Debussy _ , he quickly realized the book was a comprehensive study of the songs by the four composers in the title. Tobio preferred to form his own opinions on a piece before going into an in-depth analysis of it, so he did not bother to read the book. He did, however, make a mental note to borrow it for when he finished practicing Claire de Lune and gained his own understanding of it.

He leaned back against his chair, throwing his hands over the headrest, and sighed. Although he gathered a decent amount of knowledge about Impressionism, his knowledge about Claude Debussy and the history of Claire de Lune was severely lacking. 

“This. Fucking. Sucks,” he groaned to the ceiling. An hour and thirty minutes, and he barely accomplished anything. 

“Kageyama?” called a familiar voice.

He groaned again—internally, because he was not stupid—but straightened in his chair and greeted him with relative politeness. “Good evening, Iwaizumi-san.”

“What are you doing here?” his soulmate asked. 

“Reading,” he stated. What else would he be doing in a library?

Iwaizumi-san crossed his arms, shooting him a disapproving expression. “I meant,” the wing spiker stressed, “what are you doing here when you should be in class?”

“Like I said: I’m reading,” he repeated, motioning to the books sprawled across the table. “What are  _ you  _ doing here when you should be in class?”

“ _ I _ have self-study, and actually have permission to be here,” the upperclassman stated. 

“Whatever,” he grumbled, returning his attention to his books.

Even though Iwaizumi-san did not make him as unnerved as Oikawa-san did, the wing spiker had still been the one to reject him. He would rather not interact with him more than necessary, and engaging in an argument about his right to be in the library would not accomplish that goal. So Tobio did what had been doing until now with matters regarding his soulmate: he ignored him.

Unfortunately, his soulmate did not seem to realize that fact. Instead of leaving him to his own business, Iwaizumi-san thought it was appropriate to drop a pile of books onto the table he had been using and  _ sit down _ in the seat directly opposite of his.

“Wh-what are you doing?” he demanded. 

The upperclassman raised an eyebrow at him, opening one of the books from his pile. “Isn't it obvious? I’m reading.”

Scowling at the words, he glared at the other boy with enough venom to kill. “Why are you sitting here?”

“Because I can.”

“Sit somewhere else,” Tobio ordered. 

“No way.”

“Why not?” he gritted out, trying his best not to lose his temper.

  
Iwaizumi-san shrugged. “I want to sit here.”

Irritation surged through him in waves. “I was here first.”

“There’s enough room on the table for both of us,” the wing spike said smoothly.

He wondered if he would get in trouble for throwing a book at his upperclassman. If he managed to hit him in the head hard enough, maybe Iwaizumi-san would forget everything that had happened and no one would know what he had done. Tobio was seriously considering it.

Perhaps sensing his hostile thoughts, his soulmate said quietly. “You can just ignore me. I won’t bother you at all.”

“You’re already bothering me by sitting there,” he snarled.

“I only want to sit next to you, Kageyama.”

And because he had been thrown by that unexpected confession, because he did not expect the vulnerability that colored the other boy’s voice, because he had never heard the wing spiker sound like that before, Tobio was at a loss for words. 

The argument that had been building up died in his throat, and he forced his attention back on his book. Both of them fell into an awkward, tense silence that was only interrupted by the turning of pages, and he had to keep a conscious effort to not sneak occasional glances at the person sitting opposite of him.

About twenty minutes passed before he came to the conclusion that glaring at the pages of the book was not going to provide him with any more useful information. Sighing, he decided to take one last scour through the library before giving up and going home.

He was looking through the history shelves again, having been there for about five minutes already and nearing the end of his patience, when Iwaizumi-san approached him.

“What are you searching for, Kageyama?” the upperclassman asked.

Figuring that he would lose nothing, Tobio replied, “A book on Debussy.”

His soulmate pointed towards a section towards the very back of the library, mostly hidden from view. “It should be in the biography section over there.”

“There’s a biography section?” he growled, irritated beyond hell that he had been looking in the wrong area the entire time. 

Why the hell is the biography section not in the history section? It makes no sense whatsoever!

He marched over towards where the upperclassman pointed at, his mood only worsening when he immediately found a book titled  _ Claude Debussy: A Critical Biography _ . 

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Iwaizumi-san asked as he stomped over to the table.

He nodded, sitting down and immediately opened it. “You've got to be fucking kidding me,” he muttered. 

Everything he had been looking for was in the book. The only downside was that it contained reviews and comments about his works as well, practically screaming at him to go home and practice.

And he did. He placed the first two books about Impressionism back where he found them, and grabbed the remaining two books to take home. He wrote his name on the paper to indicate that he was borrowing them, and was about to leave when he remembered something.

He walked back towards his soulmate, who quickly turned around once he sensed his approach. “Um...Th-thank you very much for your help,” he said, before rushing out of the room.

If his cheeks were flaming in embarrassment, Tobio pretended not to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An interaction with Hajime. I had been planning to write interactions with Tobio and his soulmates individually, and I thought this was a perfect chapter as gateway for Hajime and Tobio. 
> 
> Also, these are actual books that exist. I've never read them before but most of the details about them are based on their descriptions.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.


	40. Notice

I'm sorry to all my readers, but I will be taking the day off today. I think writing two chapter a day continuously has burned me out a little. I'm going to use the rest time today to organize my thoughts and the direction I intend to go in with the story.

I will be back to posting tomorrow, so look forward to the update.


	41. Chapter Thirty-Five: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama loved volleyball—or a least, he did—and milk. He was also unsociable, the scowl that seemed to be his default expression drove away the majority of people who thought to approach him. His bluntness did not help in that aspect, his tendency to speak exactly what was on his mind often rubbing people the wrong way. 
> 
> That was all Hajime knew about the boy who was his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally intended to write Chapter 36, but then I got an idea for Hajime's perspective, so here it is.
> 
> Enjoy.

Because they had grown alongside each other, Hajime never worried much about Tooru.

His soulmate was, by nature, a flirtatious person. He enjoyed making girls swoon over him and knew how to make use of his charming smile. Well-versed in the art of communication, he was aware of what words to speak in order to get the reaction he desired. His very presence could command the attention of an entire room, and he reveled in it. 

Hajime did not mind it, in all honesty. Although he found it annoying and bothersome on more than one occasion, it never actually bothered him how often the setter flirted with other people. For all of Tooru’s honeyed words and provocative smiles, he knew there was no meaning behind them. It was simply part of his soulmate’s personality.

And that understanding between them, that unbreakable trust they had in each other, was in large part due to their history together. Both of them had been inseparable since they were children. They had seen each other at their worst moments and had shared with each other their very best. They had fought countless times, but they always made up by the end of the day. They knew each other’s habits and quirks, likes and dislike, motivations and fears so well that they knew the other better than themselves.

He could not even remember a time in which Tooru was not in his life.

Kageyama, on the other hand...Kageyama was an entirely different existence to him. Hajime knew next-to-nothing about his younger soulmate, something he had begun to realize since the school year began.

Kageyama loved volleyball—or a least, he did—and milk. He was also unsociable, the scowl that seemed to be his default expression drove away the majority of people who thought to approach him. His bluntness did not help in that aspect, his tendency to speak exactly what was on his mind often rubbing people the wrong way. 

That was all Hajime knew about the boy who was his soulmate. 

And it was this limited knowledge that caused his stomach to twist and chest burn whenever he saw the younger with Kyoutani.

“Kentarou!”

Morning practice had ended barely five minutes ago, and all of the members had been getting ready to change into their uniforms, when Hajime heard the clear voice of his soulmate. Not only him, but almost everyone in the gym turned towards the entrance, where the ravenette was hovering by the door.

A soft pink dusted Kageyama’s cheeks at the attention, the sight of which was absolutely adorable on him. It seemed to ease somewhat when he caught sight of the second-year wing spiker he was calling for. 

“What is it, Tobio?” Kyoutani asked as he jogged towards the door.

And the twisting and burning he had become so acquainted with these past months appeared. Hajime had heard it numerous times already, but the familiarity by which they called each other’s first name never failed to give rise to an unpleasant emotion.

“Here,” the younger boy said, handing over a small, white gift bag. 

He watched as Kyoutani hesitantly reached out to grab it, eyeing the bag with caution as he asked, “What is it? And why are you giving me this?”

The blushing returned in full force, dyeing Kageyama a bright red. “It’s an a-a-apology,” he stuttered, voice fading into a mumble by the end. “F-for using your credit card.”

“Are you sick or something?” Kyoutani asked, brows raised in surprise.

If it was even possible, the boy became even redder. “I-I felt guilty for using so much money.” he sputtered out, voice rising in agitation. “If-if you don’t want it, I-I’ll just return it!”

Kageyama reached for the bag, only for the second-year to move it out of the way. When he tried again, the same thing happened. A pout began to form on his lips, and he looked so adorable that Hajime just wanted to pull him into a hug.

Kyoutani must have thought the same, but instead of a hug, the second-year reached out to pat his head. “Since you’ve gone out of your way to buy this for me, I’ll forgive you like the awesome person I am,” he stated boldly.

The barest hint of a smile curved the younger boy's lips, and the sight of it both warmed and froze his heart. Because it was something that Hajime should have caused, but it was not.

“Are we going to meet up at lunch?” Kyoutani asked.

“I need to practice this week,” Kageyama said with a shake of the head. 

The first-year left shortly after, and Hajime could only watch as he went.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

He did not expect to see his soulmate again that day, his interactions with the latter often limited to once per week. Hajime was not going to complain, however. Any chance to see or talk with Kageyama was one he would gladly take.

He watched as the younger leaned back in his chair, throwing his hands over the headrest, and let out a long-suffering groan. “This. Fucking. Sucks.”

Anothing thing he had realized only recently: Kageyama cursed. A lot. More than a lot. 

“Kageyama?” Hajime called out to him, a bit concerned by his actions.

His soulmate tensed almost immediately, straightening in his seat as he gritted out a clipped, “Good evening, Iwaizumi-san.”

Hajime kept his voice even as asked, “What are you doing here?” It was worrying that he was in the library by himself. Especially when he should be in class.

“Reading.” He heard the silent, _Obviously_ , in his voice.

Hajime almost rolled his eyes, because of course Kageyama would answer that. He crossed his arms. “I meant,” he emphasized, “what are you doing here when you should be in class?” 

From Kunimi’s conversations with Kindaichi, it was apparent that his soulmate had a tendency to skip school. And he would not have said anything about it had he not been aware of how much the younger boy struggled with his classes.

“Like I said: I’m reading.” He motioned to the three books on the table. “What are _you_ doing here when you should be in class?” the boy shot back with unhidden irritation.

“ _I_ have self-study, and actually have permission to be here,” he stated.

“Whatever,” the underclassman muttered before his eyes returned to his book, utterly ignoring his existence.

It was something Kageyama did often whenever he or Tooru were near him. It hurt every time he did, but Hajime understood why he did it. He had no obligation to talk to the people who rejected him. But still...it hurt.

Because it was a rare opportunity to be with the soulmate he rarely ever saw, Hajime purposely chose to sit in front of him. He did not expect it to fluster the younger boy so much, considering Kageyama always did his best to avoid interacting with them.

“Wh-what are you doing?” he sputtered.

Hajime raised an eyebrow, overwhelmed by an urge to tease the first-year. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m reading.” 

Watching the scowl etch itself onto his lips, Hajime could understand why Tooru liked provoking people so much. “Why are you sitting here?”

“Because I can.”

“Sit somewhere else.”

“No way?”

“ _Why not?_ ”

He shrugged. “I want to sit here.”

“I was here first.”

“There’s enough room on the table for both of us.”

When he realized that Kageyama was genuinely getting frustrated, he regretted trying to tease the younger boy. “You can just ignore me. I won’t bother you at all,” he tried to resolve.

“You’re already bothering me by sitting there,” Kageyama snarled.

He had not expected his soulmate to loathe him to the extent of not even wanting to be near him. And it was the hostility in that sentence that had him admitting, “I only want to sit next to you, Kageyama.”

The younger boy stopped arguing after that, and both of them fell into an awkward silence. His soulmate kept his eyes on the book, going back to ignoring his existence. Hajime tried to focus on his books as well, but the presence in front of him kept his mind occupied.

Which was why, when Kageyama got up from his seat to wander around the library, he immediately paid attention. 

After five minutes had passed, he gathered enough courage to ask the younger boy, “What are you searching for, Kageyama?”

Hajime could see the gears in his head turning, deciding whether he actually wanted the help. After what felt like an hour, his soulmate said, “A book on Debussy.”

“It should be in the biography section over there,” he stated, pointing to the set of shelves in the corner.

“There’s a biography section?” Kageyama growled, marching over to the shelves.

Hajime returned to his seat, his soulmate following shortly after. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Kageyama nodded, and after a few minute of flipping through the pages, he muttered, “You've got to be fucking kidding me.”

Hajime was disappointed when he suddenly stood up and left, but then he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around, surprised to see his soulmate with flushed cheeks.

“Um...Th-thank you very much for your help.”

And watched as the younger boy runned out of the room in embarrassment.

He was still smiling when he went to practice that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It hurt me to write this chapter. Hajime genuinely cares about Tobio and making him suffer like this makes me feel kind of guilty.
> 
> Next chapter will be chapter 36, so look forward to it.
> 
> P.S. Thank you for all of your support yesterday. It was a good idea for me to take the day off because this chapter turned out better than it would have been. Also, I came down with a splitting headache yesterday, so writing a chapter would have been impossible.


	42. Chapter Thirty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He could not recall a single moment as to when anyone bothered to care about him. He and Kunimi had never interacted beyond the volleyball club, and even then it was just clipped conversations. 
> 
> Kunimi opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again. He could tell by the way he averted his eyes and his withdrawn expression that the other boy could not remember either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 36. 
> 
> Enjoy.

If Tobio was asked his opinion about the set piece of the finals, he would have to admit that it was not a song that was suitable for him. 

Claire de Lune was a piece that required subtlety and detachment. His playing was the exact opposite of what the song required, blunt and bold and personal. It was the reason why he had been having so much trouble with it.

In terms of technique, it was among the simpler of Debussy's other works. However, that was not to say it was without its difficulties.

For starters, the piece was written in D-flat major, a key signature that was a little unnerving with all its flat notes. The arpeggios in this key required a good fingering for the hands, as well as a preconceived idea of the fingers were going to move. However, it was important to keep the tonality of the tone ambiguous at the same time.

It also required a competent handling of the pedal, one of the factors responsible for producing the beautiful color and floating quality of the song. Moreover, the song does not adhere to any standard. It lacked a distinctive rhythm and broke all kinds of harmonic rules. The chords were sometimes dissonant, chosen for the mood they created rather than to conform.

However, that was where his troubles began. He could not, for the life of him, figure out how to evoke that dreamlike, floating feeling that was so often associated with the song. Every time he listened to a recording of his playing, he would be drawn into a single key—the exact opposite of what the song was intended to do.

Frustration and irritation were constant presences in his mind, often accompanied by a sense of confusion and loss. With only three day until competition, he was at his wits end about what to do.

It must have shown in his expressions as well, considering that almost everyone who met his gaze quickly averted their eyes. He suspected that he had quite a menacing scowl carved into his lips at the moment, and his glare was probably even worse. Kentarou had told him in passing that he was projecting a strong “fuck the hell off” aura lately.

It was to the point that Kunimi even commented on it during one of their passing periods. “You look like you’re going to murder someone,” were his exact words. 

As expected, it only served to irritate him further. “Huh?” he demanded. “I always look like this.”

He narrowed his eyes at the notebook laying on the desk, as though glaring at it would provide the answer he was searching for. The pen he held in hand tapped along to the melody of Claire de Lune as he reviewed the notes he took while listening to his performances. It was barely legible at this point, the words scratched out with bold, black scribbles. At this point, it was more a black canvas than a notebook.

“Impressionism, huh,” he murmured, resting his head on the surface of the desk. “Honestly, what does dreamlike even mean? How do you even capture the essence without defining it?” A long-suffering sigh escaped his lips. “Why is it so vague!”

He ended the tapping of his pen after the second section of the song, which consisted of running arpeggios. This was where his trouble actually began. His technique was without mistakes, but the mood whenever he played the section always turned sharp. 

“Mind telling me why you’re in such a poor mood?” Kunimi questioned. 

“No.”

“Then I’m going to assume you’re being an asshole for no reason?”

“It’s none of your business,” he stated, voice straining to be civil.

“It is when you’re taking your anger out on me for no reason whatsoever,” was the response he received.

Tobio pinned an irritated glare on the other boy, who only watched him with tired eyes. Kunimi always appeared as though he could care less, and it was one of the reasons why they had clashed so often during volleyball. While he appreciated the low and calm energy in conversations and in class, it was not something he appreciated when he was near a mental breakdown.

“Are you trying to irritate me?” he asked, no longer bothering to hide his irritation.   
  


“Not at all,” his classmate said calmly. “I’m asking because I’m concerned.”

Tobio did not think they were close enough for him to be worried. “Why?”

Kunimi seemed taken aback at the question, his eyes widening in surprise. “What do you mean ‘why?’”

“You’ve never cared before.” Tobio had been abandoned by him in fact. His understanding of their current relationship was a give and take exchange. 

“I’ve...cared about you before,” the other first-year argued. 

“When?”

Junior high had been unmemorable for him. Volleyball had been the only thing he actually cared about at school, and it had been apparent to almost everyone. No one cared to talk to him, especially when a scowl etched itself onto his face in his second year. He had no friends to speak of—he did not particularly care about that. His family had been enough for him, and Kentarou was better than any friend—and the teachers did not bother with him on account of his awful grades. His team abhorred him and the coaches tolerated him so long as he put his skills to use. For the most part, he spent his time alone. 

He could not recall a single moment as to when anyone bothered to care about him. He and Kunimi had never interacted beyond the volleyball club, and even then it was just clipped conversations. 

Kunimi opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again. He could tell by the way he averted his eyes and his withdrawn expression that the other boy could not remember either.

Tobio returned his attention back to his notebook, inserting his earbuds back into his ears. He pressed play on his recorded version of Claire de Lune, and fell into an easy calm as he carefully noted his mistakes.

He and Kunimi did not speak to each other again for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for not posting this chapter yesterday. I had family over and was spending time with them.
> 
> I don't really have anything to say for this chapter, but I will say that the next chapter will be in Kunimi's perspective.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	43. Chapter Thirty-Six: Akira's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they had met in first year of junior high, his impression of Tobio Kageyama had been neutral. He did not think much of the boy whose ocean-blue eyes seemed to glow with passion and determination. Akira simply regarded him as the same way he regarded the other freshmen players.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, a chapter with Kunimi's perspective. It hurt a little to write this.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed.

When they had met in first year of junior high, his impression of Tobio Kageyama had been neutral. He did not think much of the boy whose ocean-blue eyes seemed to glow with passion and determination. Akira simply regarded him as the same way he regarded the other freshmen players.

His impression, however, quickly changed within the first weeks of practice. It had been clear to every person on the team that Kageyama was a genius. His skills were far above those in his grade and rivaled those of his seniors as well. Most noteworthy was the serious attitude he adopted towards volleyball, an attitude which borderlined on obsession.

Nonetheless, he remained indifferent. He admired the other boy’s passion and his skills, but at the same time, he thought it would have been exhausting to be so persistent and to have to bear the burden of such high expectations—because there were expectations on the young setter, who quickly proved himself to be a genius. And with expectations came oppressive scrutiny and judgement. Akira did not envy him.

He sometimes pitied Kageyama, in fact. Especially when it was apparent that their captain, a setter himself, utterly loathed the younger boy for his talent and abilities. It made him cringe every time Kageyama’s requests for guidance were ignored with a cold glare. In all honesty, it made him worried as well. He was worried that Oikawa-san’s constant rebukes would be an affirmation and incentive for the other upperclassman to take their frustrations out on the young setter.

Kageyama, despite his blunt and insensitive personality, was obviously immature. Akira suspected he did not have the emotional capacity to understand why he was being harassed.

His concerns, however, were proven to be unfounded when, one day after practice, he caught the first-year being surrounded by upperclassmen. Instead of being scared as he expected the other boy would be, Kagayama had a completely emotionless expression. Rather than shrink into himself, he held his head high and seemed to look down on the older boys.

_“All of you are absolutely pathetic,”_ he had stated, voice colder than a blizzard. _“If you have enough time to harass someone younger than you, use it to improve yourselves instead.”_

Akira thought that it had been absolutely stupid. The upperclassmen already viewed him as an arrogant first-year, him saying those things would only provoke them further. But before they could react to his words, the young setter shoved past them with a seething glare in his eyes.

A shiver ran down his spine at that moment, and Akira instinctively realized that the younger boy was far more terrifying than those upperclassmen.

Something changed a few months after that incident happened. Kageyama no longer hovered behind their captain, choosing instead to practice by himself or with others. In fact, he avoided the third-year entirely. He tensed whenever Iwaizumi-san or Oikawa-san were near, and Akira never found out the reason why before the two captains graduated.

When he saw the setter again in their second year, Kageyama remained relatively the same as he was in their first year. He had the same passion and determination, but there was a shadow lingering in his eyes that had not been there before.

Akira did not pay it much mind, waving it away as the result of raging hormones. What he did pay mind to was the increasingly irritable mood of the younger boy during their practices. His attitude upset the entire atmosphere of the team, making it more tense and suffocating.

Being in the same grade as Kageyama, both he and Kindaichi were asked to investigate the reason for the younger’s irritation. Neither of them managed to get an answer out of the setter, and both of them gave up after a few attempts of conversation.

The coaches eventually decided to ignore it, considering that it was not affecting his playing in any way. 

And then third year came. Kageyama became even more demanding and oppressive than he had been before. His tosses became impossible to hit, set so high and so fast that no one on their team could keep up with it. 

Akira had always had a neutral impression towards the younger boy, but that impression quickly turned negative as the setter began criticizing his every mistake. It was not long before everyone on the team became fed up with his tyranny, and whispers of the King of the Court began spreading.

It built and built until they reached the breaking point, all of them choosing to abandon the setter on the court. Akira knew it was cruel, but there had been no other way for Kageyama to face reality. But when he saw the haunted expression on the other boy’s face as he realized what had happened, warning bells began ringing in his head, a voice warning him about...something.

He ignored it. A mistake, he soon realized, about a month later.

Kageyama had not attended practice since that incident on the court, but Akira had caught glimpses of him around school. He had avoided the other boy, still resenting what he had done during their time in the club. He would have continued to avoid him as well, had the setter’s teacher not asked him to deliver the younger his homework when he was absent one day.

Akira had asked the teacher why one of his classmates could not have done it, but the answer had not been what he had expected. As it turned out, Kageyama had no friends to speak of. It was not entirely surprising, but he figured the other boy would have managed to acquaint himself with at least one person during his three year of junior high.

Kindaichi accompanied him to deliver the homework to the address provided by the teacher, but when they arrived at the house, they were greeted by strangers who told them that Kageyama had moved homes. And that voice that had been warning him began screaming.

Despite all their differences on the court, they had known each other for the three years they had been at Kitagawa Daiichi. It worried him that neither the teacher nor the school had been aware of his move, and his worries only increased when Kageyama did not show up to school for over a month.

The blue-eyed boy did not return to school for the rest of the year, in fact, as though he had disappeared entirely. And during that time, Akira had become trapped by his mind, questions of whether it was their fault that Kageyama disappeared constantly shadowing him.

After nearly six months without any sign of the blue-eyed boy, he never would have expected to see him again on the first day of high school. He certainly did not expect the younger to practically dive out of the window to avoid him. And he did not expect to not see him on the first day of practice.

Akira had to look around constantly to reaffirm the fact that the setter was not there. The boy who had been so serious about volleyball to the point of obsession was not there.

Thinking that it was his fault, Akira approached the younger boy with the intention of getting to the bottom of it.

Once they managed to actually build a somewhat civilized relationship, Akira had been surprised by how little he actually knew about Kageyama. He had thought he understood the other boy’s personality well, but seeing his interaction with Kyoutani-san seemed to undermine everything he thought he knew. With Kyoutani-san, the blue-eyed boy seemed softer, affectionate even despite their terrifying fights.

The tyrant he had known in his third year was nowhere to be seen. It forced him to wonder whether that was Kageyama’s true nature, and none of them even cared to realize.

His suspicions seemed to be affirmed when Kageyama said, “You’ve never cared before.”

“I’ve...care about you before,” he defended. 

“When?”

Akira opened his mouth, trying and trying to remember a single moment of care, and closed his mouth once he realized there was not a single one. The only time he had even bothered to check up on the other boy had been at the request of other people, and that had been out of discomfort rather than concern.

He averted his eyes from that blue gaze and withdrew into himself.

Kageyama had been an absolute tyrant and his behavior had been inexcusable, that was true, but he had been no better. Akira had drawn his own conclusions on the boy based on the next-to-nothing knowledge he had about him. It was, perhaps, more arrogant than anything Kageyama had ever done during junior high.

The realization of this fact had him overwhelmed with shame and embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think what happened to Akira is very common in everyone. We tend to draw our own conclusion of someone based on what we see and understand about that person. In doing so, we fail to actually understand them. This is even more common for people in junior high like Akira. 
> 
> I tried to make this chapter as realistic as possible. From Akira's perspective, he sees Tobio as an oppressive tyrant because that's all he's exposed to about Tobio. Once he sees that there's more to Tobio than that, it causes Akira to doubt what he previously thought. And by understanding this, he begins to realize that he also made a mistake.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's one of my favorites.


	44. Chapter Thirty-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Impressionistic music was inspired by the art style. He knew exactly what he needed to do now. Tobio rushed to his room, turning on his computer to look for an art exhibition. “You’re my new favorite person in the entire world, Mattsun-san,” he said, a little breathless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had such a hard time writing this chapter because I had no ideas for it. I have ideas for the next chapter though.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

“Why not just hear how someone else plays it?” Kentarou suggested.

It was Friday, and he had less than two days until the competition. At a complete loss, he had called his cousin in hopes of getting some help. 

Not that Kentarou could offer him any advice about the piece. His cousin had given up on learning the piano within the first week of starting, claiming that it was impossible to memorize all the keys and that he would rather play volleyball. He did not expect any sort of revelation to come from the older boy, and he had not called his cousin with that intention.

The reason Tobio had called his cousin was because he needed to calm his mind. He was positive that he was only a hair away from a mental breakdown. 

Despite trying and trying and trying, he simply could not evoke the atmosphere and mood of the song. It all came out too sharp, the keys too prevalent. He did not understand how to play it, and it was absolutely infuriating.

Talking to Kentarou always seemed to soothe his panic, so that was what he had resorted to doing. “I can’t do that,” he said miserably. “If I listen to someone else, I’ll be tempted to play how they played.”

It had been the same when he had been volleyball. While watching Oikawa-san’s serves in order to improve, he had memorized every movement from the older setter. As a result, his serve had become an identical copy, albeit a less powerful one. He only realized later upon rewatching his old matches, and the emotion that came with it was unpleasant.

Tobio did not want to copy someone. He wanted to play with his own capabilities.

“What’s wrong with copying someone else?” Kentarou asked. “They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, after all.”

“There’s no meaning if I win with someone else’s playing,” he whined. 

“You’re being more childish than usual,” his cousin commented, and Tobio could hear the amused smile in his voice.

“You’re the last person I want to hear that from,” he sulked. 

“Listen hear, you little bra—”

A loud crash could be heard in the background, and it was followed by the sound of shattering glass. Several people shouted at the same time and several more crashes could be heard. 

“Um...Is everything alright, Kentarou?” From the sounds of it, he could have been in the middle of a robbery. It was worrying. 

“Probably,” his cousin replied. “No one’s dead or anything.”

“That’s...reassuring,” he drawled. Tobio wanted to ask where the hell even was, but ultimately decided he did not want to know. With Kentarou, some things were better left alone. “Anyways, it’s better if I don’t listen to someone else’s playing.”

“Are you having trouble because the piece is too difficult?” his cousin asked.

“No, not really. I already have the techniques down. It’s the mood that I can’t get right.”

Kentarou hummed. “It’s rare that you have trouble with mood.”

“It’s because the piece has an Impressionism style,” Tobio stated. “I don’t understand the concept of it at all.”

“Yo, Kyoutani,” a voice he recognized as Makki-san called. “If you don’t hurry up, we’re gonna eat all the pizza.”

“I’m talking to someone,” his cousin growled back in irritation. “Hey!” Kentarou barked.

“Hello?” Mattsun-san greeted. “Is this Kyoutani’s girlfriend?”

Slightly amused, Tobio greeted the upperclassman with a polite, “Good evening, Mattsun-san.”

“Oh? Hey, Kyoutani, isn’t this the arrogant little brat that headbutted you the other day?” the third-year questioned.

“Give me back my phone!”

“I wouldn’t call myself arrogant,” he defended.

“Anyone who could call themselves rich, talented, smart, and beautiful so shamelessly is arrogant,” Mattsun-stated. “Anyways, don’t you know we’re in the middle of a team get-together? What are you doing distracting our wing spiker?”

“I don’t see how that is any of your business.”

“See? Like is said: arrogant.”

“If your only intention is to point out my arrogance, could you return the phone to Kentarou?” he asked.

“You were talking about Impressionism, weren’t you?” Mattsun-san said instead of answering his question. 

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that the art style? The blurry one?”

...FUCKING HELL. HOW THE HELL DID HE FORGET ABOUT THAT?

Impressionistic music was inspired by the art style. He knew exactly what he needed to do now. Tobio rushed to his room, turning on his computer to look for an art exhibition. “You’re my new favorite person in the entire world, Mattsun-san,” he said, a little breathless. 

“Huh? Okay. Thanks, I guess.”

“Seriously, you’re so much more helpful than Kentarou,” he stated, knowing his cousin can hear and wanting to tease him.

“You ungrateful brat!” Kentarou barked. “You’re the one who called me!”

“Is that Tobio-chan I hear?” an eerie voice questioned. He heard as Oikawa-san came closer and closer, until the setter was crooning next to Tobio’s ear. “Hello, Tobio-cha—” 

Tobio hung up the call immediately, opting to focus his energy on searching for an exhibition instead. 

♚♚♚

An hour later and thirty minutes into the exhibition, he was kicking himself for not coming there sooner. Tobio had always been a visual learner, actually seeing the paintings derived from Impressionism gave him a thorough understanding of the style.

The brush strokes were relatively small and thin, but they were clearly visible. The open composition created the sense of the painting extending beyond its borders. There was a clear emphasis on the accurate depiction of light and its changing qualities. Most of the paintings focused on ordinary subject matters.

As Mattsun-san had described it, the painting was a blurred image of the subject. It did not focus on emphasizing the details and glosses over them instead. Through that, it has the viewer focus on the atmosphere of the song.

He really should have come here earlier. Seeing the concept allowed him to understand it so much better. He understood now what the books meant by capturing the essence without defining it. 

His inability to evoke the dreamlike, floating mood of the song made so much more sense now. Tobio had been too focused on making every note clear and sharp when he should have been letting it flow naturally instead.

He understood, and he rushed home to apply that understanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter was a bit rushed, but I genuinely don't think I could have done much more with. Like I said at the beginning, I had no ideas for this chapter. It was meant purely to transition into the performance.
> 
> Next chapter will be the competition. So look forward to it.
> 
> Also, I originally intended for this story to be a lot shorter. I had no idea it was going to be this long and I don't even think I'm halfway through it. So yeah...That's fun.


	45. Chapter Thirty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All background noise seemed to fade away as he opened his eyes again. He was surrounded by darkness, the pitch-black waiting to be dyed in his colors.
> 
> And he did exactly that once his fingers began playing the intro. Rather than dye it with color, however, the soft and soothing notes dotted the darkness with stars. They stretched beyond the endless black, illuminating the entire venue with the image of clear night sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This performance was definitely better than the last one. It was so enjoyable to write this, so I hope you guys enjoy it too.

Compared to the preliminaries, the atmosphere of the finals had much more tension.

Waiting for his turn backstage, there was an eerie silence that permeated the air of the waiting room. Every performer was either listening to the current performance, reviewing their own playing once more, or simply anticipating for their names to be called. Tobio was part of the last group. 

He knew that if he were to listen to any other performance before his own, his competitive nature would eat at him to be better. Although it was good to be passionate about winning, he knew it was not what he needed at the moment. His competitiveness would only disrupt his concentration, and the piece he was playing required acute focus. 

He also knew that reviewing the recorded versions of practice would only result in paranoia. Whenever he was placed in pressuring situations, he had a habit of being extremely conscious. He would start doubting himself, questions every movement he made, and pinpointing every mistake. It was exactly what he needed to avoid.

_ “Next, number 17...Performance by number 17...Tobio Kageyama-kun.” _

Breathing out, Tobio straightened his back as he walked onto the stage. He squared his shoulders and held his head high, taking confident strides towards the piano. His stomach twisted and knotted with every step. It was never easy to perform in front of a crowd, no matter how much time passes, but looking like he was uncertain would not help in any way. Appearing confident was the first to being confident, and it did not hurt him if the audience thought he was.

At the preliminaries, he had been too nervous and too focused to notice his surroundings. It was different this time, though. Tobio had his senses meticulously tuned into everything. He could feel the warmth of the spotlights bathing him, slightly blinding in their brightness. He could hear the rustling of paper as people in the audience turned the program brochure. He could see the piercing eyes of the audience as they watched his approach, their gazes burning his side. 

He exhaled deeply as he sat down at the bench, keeping his back straight and placing his feet flat on the floor. He began his finger stretches, closing his fingers into his hands and holding the position for about three seconds before releasing. Repeating the process multiple times, he then proceeded to bend each finger independently. He rubbed his hands together to finish.

Still hyper-aware, Tobio closed his eyes in an attempt to block out any disruptions. He focused on the hardness of the wooden floors and the smoothness of the bench. Gently placing his fingers on the keys of the piano and concentrated on the gloss feel. 

All background noise seemed to fade away as he opened his eyes again. He was surrounded by darkness, the pitch-black waiting to be dyed in his colors.

And he did exactly that once his fingers began playing the intro. Rather than dye it with color, however, the soft and soothing notes dotted the darkness with stars. They stretched beyond the endless black, illuminating the entire venue with the image of clear night sky.

Claire de Lune was a song inspired by a poem of the same name, written by French poet Paul Verlaine in 1869. The poem begins:

_ Your soul is a chosen landscape _

_ Bewitched by masquers and bergamaskers _

_ Playing the lute and dancing and almost _

_ Sad beneath their fanciful disguises _

He thought the somberness and meditative calm of these lines were reflected in the growing agitation and dissonance of the first section. The chordal parts peaked into beautiful rolled high notes that reminded him of a harp. The delicacy and subtlety suggested towards the mingling sorrow and beauty introduced in the beginning of the poem.

_ All sing in a minor key _

_ Of victorious love and and the opportune life _

The second section of the song was where it began progressing more. It was more technically demanding, the rolling arpeggios and simple right hand melody accentuating the mood of the first section. Most apparent was the grace note, a note that is played slightly before the real note, in which his ginger grazes a black key to hit a white key. Played over the rippling accompaniment, the grace note builds into the climax of the song.

_ They do not seem to believe in their happiness _

_ And their song mingles with the moonlight _

Rather than a grand crescendo or much of a build, the climatic moment of the song was undramatic. In the second section which involved running arpeggios and plenty of motion, the climax of the song was simply notes tumbling downward like a waterfall.

Whenever he heard this part of the piece, Tobio imagined a gentle shower of rain falling from the clear night sky depicted in the first section. Slowly, the moon began rising and its light slowly illuminated the raindrops and night.

_ With the still moonlight, sad and beautiful _

_ That sets the birds dreaming in the trees _

_ And the fountains sobbing in ecstasy _

_ The tall slender fountains among the marble statues _

The third section of Claire de Lune returned to the opening theme, similar but not quite the same. Arpeggio fragments continued flowing naturally from his left hand, creating a fluid and changing harmony. 

Compared to the beginning, which implied a Db major chord and a happier sound, the third section echoed the chord in a minor key, taking the song in a sadder direction. It was just as peaceful as the beginning, but there was more of a sense of mystery and melancholy to the mood.

It was as though clouds began to shroud over the stars and moon of the night. It did not obstruct their lights completely, but their brightness was slightly muted by a veil. 

When he hit the final, perfect cadence, it ended the song with a sense of peace. It gives the song its tonal footing, and leaves him feeling satisfied.

He was left an image of a clear night sky. Both the stars and moon were veiled by clouds, the muted lights bright enough to slightly illuminate the water drops falling gently from above.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio's Claire de Lune did not have the personal connection as Un Sospiro, but that was the intention of the song. Like I said at the beginning, my writing in this performance was definitely better than the last. I loved describing the imagery of the song Tobio had while playing.
> 
> After the next chapter, the story will begin to focus more on Tobio's interactions with everyone else rather his music. I hope you all look forward to the interactions.


	46. Chapter Thirty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His steps felt light, as though he were not in control of his own movements, when he walked away from the piano, making sure to bow before he wandered off stage. His mind was absent from reality; it remained stranded in the endless, raining dark sky that he had created.
> 
> It was as if he were floating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

It took him several moments to register the sound of applause coming from the audience, still in a daze from his performance. 

His steps felt light, as though he were not in control of his own movements, when he walked away from the piano, making sure to bow before he wandered off stage. His mind was absent from reality; it remained stranded in the endless, raining dark sky that he had created.

It was as if he were floating. 

Tobio had no idea where he had gone, but he was brought out of his dazed state when he collided with someone. Rather than a stranger, though, it was his uncle.

“Akihiro-san,” he breathed, slightly surprised. “What are you doing here?”

During this time, his uncle was supposed to be at the company, doing whatever a CEO of a company did. He appeared to have just left the company as well, considering he was dressed in a crisp black suit. An assistant trailed behind him, their expression one of disapproval and exasperation. It reminded him too much of his mother for his liking, and he opted to return his gaze to the honey-brown one of his uncle.

“I came to see your performance,” Akihiro-san frowned, “but it seems like I’ve missed it.”

“Oh,” he said dumbly. “You didn’t have to go through the trouble. You’re busy, aren’t you?”

Tobio had only been inside his uncle’s office a few times, but he had seen the unending stream of paperwork and phone calls that came his way. Even a few hours away from the office could ensure several sleepless nights. It was one of the reasons why he never called his uncle unless it was for something important.

“I wanted to,” Akihiro-san assured him with a gentle smile, before it reverted back to a worried frown. “Are you alright, Tobio? You seem a bit pale.”

He leaned into the older man’s hand as it rested on his forehead. The hand was rough, a bit dry and callused, but the touch was warm and comforting. It took him back to the time when he was younger, when the same hand caressed his head whenever he was crying or sick. It grounded him into the reality he had lost while playing.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled. “Just a bit dazed from the performance.”

Akihiro-san grabbed his arm gently, guiding him to sit down at a bench along the wall. His uncle instructed his assistant, “Get some water for him, would you?”

“I’m really fine, Akihiro-san,” he told the older man, laughing a bit at his overprotectiveness.

“Sure,” his uncle said, his tone unconvinced as he sat down beside him. “How was the performance?”

“Good,” he stated. “I’m confident in how I played the song. It was satisfying, too.”

“I should have gotten here faster,” Akihiro-san lamented. “I missed out on a valuable opportunity to see my adorable nephew perform.”

A warm smile stretched across his lips. “You and Mizuki-san are the only ones who would call me adorable.”

“I’m sure we’re not the only ones who think it though.”

The assistant came back then, and with him a bottle of water. Tobio took it with gratitude, relishing the sensation of the cold liquid flowing down his throat. It was another thing that grounded him to reality.

It was similar to when he used to play volleyball. There were moments in which everything around him froze, and he was left with nothing but him and the ball. Only for the piano, however, the time to perform the piece was too short for him to get out of that headspace. It left his mind wandering for more. As a result, he was often stuck in a daze by the end.

This was the first time he had been so out of it. He supposed it was due to the style of the song. Tobio usually played pieces that required intense emotions. He could ground himself to his own feelings and memories with those songs. However, the concept of Impressionism was intended to be vague, and bringing personal emotions into that style would contradict it. Because of that, though, he had nothing to ground himself to reality, and was left wandering the plains of his imagination.

“Is it really okay for you to take time out of your work to be here?” he asked Akihiro-san.

“I finished everything I needed to before I left,” was the answer he received. “And my employees are not so incompetent as to fall apart without my presence.”

_ “Attention...May I have every contestant return to the performance hall...I repeat...May every contestant return to the performance hall...The awards ceremony will begin in five minutes.” _

“Shall we go?” his uncle, standing up with a hand outstretched.

“Yes,” he agreed, accepting the assistance. “Let’s go.”

He straightened his suit, and proceeded to the performance hall with his uncle by his side. There was a buzzing energy that permeated the atmosphere as he entered, anticipation and tension mingling together. In every corner there were whispers of conversations and debates on who was going to win.

Tobio honestly had no idea who the potential prize winners could be. He had not listened to any other performance, too focused on his own. He figured he would at least place in the top three.

It was not arrogance, however. He knew that his playing had little to no mistakes—he was confident that he would do well.

_ “And now, I will announce the top three prize-winning contestants. Please approach the stage as I call out your names...In third place...number 6...Tamaki Nakamura-kun!” _

He saw as part of the audience turned their attention towards a boy with brown hair and onyx eyes. Said person had a beaming smile as he maneuvered through people towards the stage, standing tall and proud as the judges continued announcing the winners.

_ “Now, onto second place...the runner-up...number 25...Midori Ono-chan.” _

A girl with wide eyes and long hair covered her mouth in surprise, tears in her eyes as she rushed to the stage, her dress fluttering behind her. The smile on her lips was both charming and endearing as she stood with her chin held high.

_ “And finally, for this year’s All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest’s first place…” _

He closed his eyes, as though not seeing could calm the racing of his heart.

“ _ The winner is…” _

He sucked in a deep breath, barely breathing as he anticipated the name.

_ “...number 17...Tobio Kageyama-kun.” _

Tobio heard the rupture of applause, but only moved when he felt his uncle clapping him in the back, pushing him to step forward.

The lights were blinding and the cheers were deafening, but none of that seemed to register. All he knew was the sound of his own heartbeat and the pride enveloping his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, everyone, but this will be the only update for today. I came down with a splitting headache AGAIN. I managed to finish this chapter after the pain calmed down a bit.
> 
> Like I said in the last chapter, the story will focus more on the interactions between Tobio and other characters. I love writing about Tobio's childhood with Kentarou and his family, so I really want include that into the story as well. I will also begin writing about Tooru and Hajime regaining Tobio's trust.
> 
> Look forward to all future chapters. I hope you all have enjoyed the story.
> 
> Also, I was think about rewriting this story. Not now, obviously. I am determined to finish this first. However, I've noticed as I've reviewed previous chapters that there some parts of Tobio's personality I did not develop very well and some scenes that should have had more description and emotions. Again, this will only be after I finish this story.


	47. Chapter Forty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah,” he mumbled, stabbing his milk carton with a straw. He looked towards the front of the classroom as he took a sip out of his drink, glaring as though the math teacher was still there. “That teacher was getting on my fucking nerves, so I thought I should just shut that damned mouth of his up. Hopefully, he stops trying that bullshit with me from now on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this chapter. 
> 
> So I hope you enjoy it.

He had wanted to skip school the next day, figuring there was no possible way he could focus in class when he was still riding the high from winning. But then he realized that the amount of times he had already skipped was too many and that the teachers’ impression of him was far from good because of it.

Neither Akihiro-san and Mizuki-san cared much about his frequent truancies so long as he maintained passing grades—both of them had gave up when they realized he and Kentarou would never prioritize studying over their own interests—nor did they care about what the teachers thought of him, but he had already missed at least two weeks of the two months since the school year began. It was only a matter of time before the school called his aunt and uncle to lecture them about his absences, and the last thing he wanted was to cause trouble for them more than he already had.

And so, Tobio found himself attending classes that day, bored out of his mind and already wishing for the day to end. He was certain that he had almost fallen asleep at least five times already, and it had not even been time for lunch yet.

“Kageyama-kun,” the teacher yelled from the front of the room, glaring. “I would appreciate it if you would stay awake during my class.”

He was positive that Ito-sensei had an agenda against him. Ever since the first time he had fallen asleep during the math class, the man took every opportunity to call him out. The teacher would force him to answer the questions on the board whenever he believed Tobio was not paying attention, and even seemed to be bitter every time he passed the quizzes. 

“I wasn’t sleeping, sensei,” he stated. 

“Don’t lie to me young man! I see you nodding off back there.”

“I wasn't lying.” It was true. When he slept, he _slept_. He would have never heard the teacher lecture him for sleeping. “Just because I’m sleepy doesn’t mean I was sleeping.”

“Oy,” Kunimi hissed. “Don’t try and irritate him, Kageyama.”

“I’m not trying though?” He was only stating the facts. Just because he was sleepy and tired did not mean he was sleeping.

“And now you’re talking during class?” Ito-sensei asked. He was, indeed, irritated as Kunimi had said. Tobio did not understand why he would be, however, when he only stated what was true. 

“But Kunimi started talking to me first,” he defended himself. It was unfair how the man was only yelling at him when they had both talked.

“No excuses, Kageyama-kun,” the teacher snapped, shooting him a withering glare. 

He glared right back, his own irritation now taking form. By this point, almost every student in the room had their eyes pinned on the both of them. He could care less what opinions they had of him, but he despised the attention. He loathed how only he was the only being targeted, especially when _he had done nothing wrong_.

“I’m not making excuses, and I was not sleeping either. I was paying attention!”

“Is that so? Well, if you were paying attention to the class as you’ve said you were, then you would have no problem solving the question on the board.”

From the way his arms were crossed and the glare in his eyes, it was obvious Ito-sensei thought he would not be able to solve it. Scowling, he stood up from his seat, almost slamming his hands on his desk as he did so. He walked to the front while muttering curses underneath his breath. 

One look at the equation on the board, and he already knew that he was meant to factor the polynomial, which read: 2x5 + x4 - 3x3 - 16x2y3 - 8xy3 + 24y3.

The first step in this was to group the first and second half of terms: (2x5 + x4 - 3x3)(- 16x2y3 - 8xy3 + 24y3).

Then, he needed to find the greatest common factor of both. For the first half of terms, it would be: x3(2x2 + x - 3). The second half would be: -8y3(2x2 + x - 3).

He would then rewrite it as two separate factors: (x3 - 8y3)(2x2 + x - 3).

He took a peek at Ito-sensei, who had a smug expression on his face. He nearly rolled his eyes at the man’s eagerness to say he was wrong.

Despite what many people would say, Tobio was not stupid. He was not the most intelligent person ever, but he could be smart if he tried to be. Which was why he knew that the polynomials could be factored even further than now.

Both of the terms could be in fact, and he chose to start with the first one. (x3 - 8y3) could be cubed, so the final factoring of that would be: (x - 2y)(x2 + 2xy + 4y2). He had thought the second part of that could be factored further, but he determined otherwise after running the numbers through his head.

The second term was (2x2 + x - 3), and it was a simple quadratic factoring. All he needed to do was get rid of the 2 by multiplying it into the -3, so that the new equation would be: (x2 + x - 6). That would factor into: (x - 2)(x + 3). And then he would have to divide both numbers by 2, which would then have the final factoring to be: (x - 1)(2x + 3).

And the final answer would be: (x - 2y)(x2 + 2xy + 4y2)(x - 1)(2x + 3).

Once he finished, Tobio took immense pleasure in the shocked expression on Ito-sensei’s face when the teacher realized he had gotten the right answer. “May I return to my seat?” he drawled.

A pink flush colored the man’s cheeks as he muttered out, “You may return to your seat, Kageyama-kun.”

♚♚♚

It was a few classes later when Kunimi asked, “Did you see how embarrassed Ito-sensei was?”

Tobio glanced up at the other boy, who had gone to the cafeteria to get his food. It appeared as though both of them had opted to stay in the classroom for lunch. He had stayed in the classroom because he was too lazy to meet up with his cousin on the roof, but it appeared as though Kunimi had stayed with the intention to talk with him. He was too tired to care much about it, having used up all of his energy on that math equation.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, stabbing his milk carton with a straw. He looked towards the front of the classroom as he took a sip out of his drink, glaring as though the math teacher was still there. “That teacher was getting on my fucking nerves, so I thought I should just shut that damned mouth of his up. Hopefully, he stops trying that bullshit with me from now on.”

“I was surprised,” Kunimi commented. “You barely managed to pass any of your classes last year.”

“I told you already. That was only because I prioritized volleyball over studying.” 

He prioritized the piano over studying now as well, but he was also paying more attention to his grades for the sake of his aunt and uncle. Although, it was only slightly more than he used to. He still barely did his homework and only listened to the lessons once in a while. It was enough for him to pass his classes but not excel in them either. It was also the reason why he left multiple answers blank on his quizzes.

“I’ve never seen you outside of volleyball practice,” the tired-eyed boy stated, “so I never realized.”

“Well, obviously. My grades were horrible in junior high.”

“It’s not only that, though,” Kunimi mumbled. “I never realized a lot of things about you.”

There was an unusually serious tone to his voice that had him looking at the older boy. The volleyball player was fidgeting in his seat, a regretful expression on his face that had Tobio confused.

“...I...made my opinion about you without knowing anything,” he continued. Kunimi looked him in the eyes then, his voice clear as he said, “I’m sorry.”

Tobio could only stare at the other boy with his mouth open. “Um...right…” he muttered awkwardly

He did not know what to make of the situation, having never expected the other boy to apologize to him. He had assumed that they would get through the rest of the year tolerating each other’s presence, so the apology shocked him to his core.

“I’m...sorry, too?” He had already apologized before, but he thought he should say it again.

Kunimi laughed. “Is that a question?”

Not knowing what to do, he only turned away from the other boy and stared at his desk. It was not as though anything between them had changed—neither of them had forgiven the other for what had happened—yet it felt like everything between them had changed. He did not know how to describe it.

It was a strange feeling, but not an unwelcome one. And maybe that was what mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN APOLOGY!! After forty chapters, Kunimi finally apologizes!! 
> 
> I think I included this in at a good time. Tobio finally finished his competition and is in a good place to actually accept the apology. I still think it's too early for them to forgive each other, though, because an apology does not resolve all their differences. However, this definitely changes how they will interact with each other from now on. I look forward to writing their dynamic from now on.
> 
> I haven't really included Kindaichi a lot in this story yet, and I intend to do it soon. I just need to find a right time to write him in. 
> 
> Look forward to future chapters.


	48. Chapter Forty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good evening, Mattsun-san,” he greeted the upperclassman, nodding his head once. 
> 
> Either because it was polite to return a greeting or because he wanted to piss off Oikawa-san—Tobio suspected the latter—the middle blocker said, “Nice to see you again, Tobio-chan. Have you come to see your favorite person in the entire world?”
> 
> Oikawa-san let out an outraged squawk as he demanded, “Don’t lie, Mattsun!”

Because he had barely seen his cousin in over a week, and had seen even less of his aunt in two weeks, Tobio decided to wait for Kentarou to finish practice so that they could walk home together. It would save him time and energy, and it also gave him a chance to thank Mattsun-san for his help the other day.

“Why are you walking with me, Kageyama?” Kunimi asked when he fell into step beside the spiker. “You have to go the opposite direction to go home.”

He did not appreciate the look on the other boy’s face, which seemed to ask whether there was something wrong with his head. “I know that,” he said, a bit indignant. “I’m walking this way on purpose.”

“Why? You always go home after school ends.”

Tobio shrugged. “I’m watching your practice today.”

Kunimi stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring at him with a slightly surprised expression. “You’re coming to practice?” he questioned.

“Yes. Am I not allowed?”

He was certain there were no rules against him watching their practices and he could not see why he would not be allowed, especially considering the amount of girls he had seen hovering around the gym to watch Oikawa-san. 

“No…” the older boy quickly assured him. “You’re allowed. I just...never expected you would come to watch our practices.”

“I came to one before,” he stated as they continued walking towards the gym. “The practice match with Shiratorizawa.”

“I hadn’t realized,” Kunimi mumbled.

“With the amount of girls squealing, I’m not very surprised.”

“Oikawa-san seems to love the attention though.”

Tobio snorted. “Of course he does,” he drawled, to which the other boy could help but snicker.

He wondered why conversation with Kunimi was so much easier now that they had both apologized to each other. It was as though the tension between them, tension that had been so thick that it could be cut with a knife, had been thinned to the point that it was only a string. Still there and still noticeable, but much more tolerable than before. 

Parting ways with Kunimi once they reached the gym, he opted to make his way onto the balconies to avoid the pit of girls crowded at the doors. Girls were not to be messed with—it was a lesson he had learned in elementary school, when he witnessed a boy almost drown when he made fun of a girl’s hair. He still shuddered at the memory.

That was not his only reason for choosing the balcony, however. Despite the fact that he no longer played volleyball, he still enjoyed watching the sport. A view from above gave him a better angle to dissect plays and movement from players.

“Hello, ladies~” he heard the instantly recognizable voice sing. He rolled his eyes when the setter actually _waved_ , the action earning a chorus of squeals from the girls at the door.

Leaning his arms against the railing, he watched as the players walked into the gym. Tobio immediately caught sight of his cousin, his bleached hair—he had dyed it back to blonde—standing out among the heads of brown and back hair. 

Kentarou seemed to sense him as well, because he only needed to tilt his head to the side to meet his eyes. His cousin’s own eyes widened in surprise, silently questioning why he was there. Tobio pointed a finger towards his opened mouth before patting his stomach, a signal that meant he wanted food. He knew Kentarou would realize what he meant, and he was proven right when the older boy nodded.

It was a barely noticeable tilt of the head, but his brown-haired soulmate somehow managed to catch it. Brown eyes immediately snapped upwards, and he groaned when his soulmate called out to him. “Tobio-chan!” the upperclassman practically yelled, a bright smile stretching at his lips. “What are you doing here?”

He wondered how it was possible that only a single sentence could have him wanting to strangle a person. Oikawa-san, however, seemed to be that possibility, because Tobio was seriously considering walking down there and wrapping his hand around the older boy’s throat. Because with the setter’s shout, nearly every pair of eyes were on him now.

_So fucking annoying_.

He had not realized he said it aloud until he heard Oikawa-san squawk of horror. “Tobio-chan! So rude!”

Tobio could care less at the moment. He had only wanted to watch the volleyball club’s practice; he had not wanted to become the center of attention. The only time he could tolerate attention was when he was performing. Outside of performances, he preferred to remain as invisible as possible.

“You’re overreacting, Captain,” Makki-san stated. “‘Tobio-chan’ only said what everyone was thinking.”

“Don’t call Tobio-chan Tobio-chan, Makki,” the setter cried, flinging his hand dramatically. “Only I get to call him that!”

Tobio scowled—he would really like it if Oikawa-san were to stop calling him by that nickname. His thoughts did not go unnoticed either, because Mattsun-san said, “It seems the person in question hates it when you call him that, Captain.”

“Good evening, Mattsun-san,” he greeted the upperclassman, nodding his head once. 

Either because it was polite to return a greeting or because he wanted to piss off Oikawa-san—Tobio suspected the latter—the middle blocker said, “Nice to see you again, _Tobio-chan_. Have you come to see your favorite person in the entire world?”

Oikawa-san let out an outraged squawk as he demanded, “Don’t lie, Mattsun!”

Completely ignoring his soulmate, Tobio nodded his head as he said, “I wanted to thank you for the other day. It was an immense help.”

An smug expression overtook the Mattsun’s face at the time a gasp of pure terror escaped the setter’s lips. “Don’t tell me it’s true, Tobio-chan.”

“Enough, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi-san grunted, smacking their soulmate in the back of the head. “We have to get started on warm-ups.”

“Mean, Iwa-chan,” the setter pouted, rubbing the back of his head.

Iwaizumi-san only rolled his eyes, seemingly accustomed to his soulmate’s antics. “Let’s get started,” he ordered.

“Make sure to watch me, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san instructed with a wink, earning a scowl from him.

He did not want to admit it, but it was always beautiful to watch the older boy play. And as much as he hated it, he found himself unable to look away as the practice progressed.

  
He really, _really_ hated it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is cousin telepathy a thing? because I definitely think that Tobio and Kentarou would be able to do it. 
> 
> Next chapter will have Tobio talking with the Seijoh players, and possibly be more IwaOi jealousy. Definitely more IwaOi jealousy. So look forward to that.
> 
> Also, I love it whenever Tobio just ignore Tooru. I don't know why, but I find it so satisfying and amusing.


	49. Chapter Forty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why do you hate Tadaaki-san so much?” he asked his cousin. “And I don’t see why I shouldn’t listen to him. He’s smart, you know.”
> 
> “Tadaaki believes that ghosts are real,” Kentarou stated dryly. “I would take whatever he says with a grain of salt.”
> 
> “They are real!” Tobio argued, very serious. His cousin took his school bag from his shoulder to carry it with his own. “Energy can’t be destroyed, you know. It only changes form. Hence, ghosts!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does the summary have anything to do with the actual chapter? Not really. Is it the highlight though? Yes.
> 
> Sorry for the late update. I hope you guys enjoy this one.

Watching their practice, Tobio understood why the Aoba Johsai volleyball team was considered one of the best in the prefecture. It was a sight to watch as the players ran through their warm-ups and drills, not a single one without purpose or unnecessary.

“Nice kill,” the airy voice of his soulmate complimented, and he hated how his eyes were immediately drawn in that direction.

Separate from the other players, a small group of the team was currently running a practice match. From the looks of it, the group consisted of the regulars and highly-skilled players. It also seemed as though the majority of them were either second or third-years, with Kunimi and Kindaichi being the only first years.

In all honesty, he was not surprised. He knew that both of his former teammates were skilled, talented players. Had known since their first year of junior high, when he was grouped with them during a practice drill. Their potential had been obvious, and perhaps that was why he had pushed them so hard, not realizing the harm he was creating.

Oikawa-san seemed to have seen that potential as well, except the upperclassmen was far better than him at utilizing and maximizing that potential. Watching the third-year in his element, Tobio was once again forced to admit—despite loathing it with his very being—that his soulmate truly was an amazing setter. 

Everything that the setter did was precise and measured, there not a single wasted movement in his playing. His eyes constantly watched the other team, observing for any openings that could be exploited. Every toss was easy to hit, placed at the perfect height for each spiker and adapted to suit their preferences. His form was beautiful as well, giving none of his intentions away. 

Not to mention his ridiculous serves, which seemed to have exponentially increased in power. It was even more impressive that, despite the force used in them, they were accurate, hitting exactly wherever the setter aimed. 

All of it was disgusting, and Tobio found himself scowling deeply as he forced himself to look at other players of the practice match.

“Nice serve, Kyoutani,” one of them yelled.

His attention turned to his cousin, who was currently getting ready to perform his serve. Kentarou was narrowing his eyes, a habit of his whenever he was in deep concentration, as spinned the ball in his hands. He tossed the ball high into the air, the raising of his brows informing Tobio that it was not the height he had intended. The fact was confirmed when his cousin hit it completely out of bounds, the spike so strong that it managed to bounce to where he was on the balcony.

A glower etched itself onto his cousin’s expression once the older boy saw him catch the ball with both hands, and he could practically hear the warning in Kentarou’s glaring eyes. _One word...one fucking word..._ Tobio crinkled his eyes in amusement, shrugging innocently as he tossed the ball back onto the court below.

He would spare his cousin the teasing. For now.

“Thanks, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san grunted as he caught the ball. He nodded once in acknowledgement before returning his attention to the practice match, not sparing another glance at his soulmate. 

He was pleased to see how skilled Mattsun-san was as a blocker, the knowledge only making him like the upperclassman even more. His blocking form was flawless, his arms not allowing any room for a ball to get through and his hands held out in front. He changed the type of block in accordance to the situation of the court, stuffing the ball when he was able to and changing it to a soft block when he was unable to. He utilized both the straight and cross block when the situation called for it. A small smile curled onto his lips—Tobio really was liking him more and more.

Feeling a burning gaze directed at him, he turned to meet narrows, warm brown eyes. There was a shadow in their depths, and an indistinguishable emotion glimmering in them. Before he could identify it, Oikawa-san averted his eyes, pasting on the same easy smile he always wore as he walked up to serve.

Rather than slamming into the other side of the court, the ball was caught by the net, about an inch from Mattsun-san’s head. _Strange_ , he thought. It was rare for Oikawa-san to miss so significantly.

“Sorry, Mattsun,” the setter apologized, tongue sticking out in a ridiculous manner. Tobio thought he did not look very apologetic, but who was he to decide.

“Your serve is betraying your emotions, Captain,” Mattsun-san drawled. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Oikawa-san stated, glaring at the middle blocker in what seemed to be annoyance.

“I smell vinegar,” Makki-san said, a smirk aimed at the setter.

“Shut your mouth,” the captain instructed. “Or else I’ll serve the next ball into your head.”

Tobio was fully expecting for Iwaizumi-san to come up and hit the setter for his little threat, but he was surprised to find that the ace was rooted to where he stood on the court. The wing spiker was averting his eyes, willfully ignorant of the conversation.

“Don’t be jealous, Captain,” Mattsun-san cooed, to which Oikawa-san let out a frustrated groan.

“Let’s just finish the match,” the setter demanded.

♚♚♚

He approached Mattsun-san after the practice ended and all the players finished changing. Tobio wanted to repay his help, and he had wondered what he could do or give to convey his gratitude. However, he was as inept with social etiquette as could be and eventually figured he should simply ask the person to ensure he would not get him something unwanted.

“You want to repay me?” Mattsun-san asked, his expression doing little to hide his suspicion. 

Tobio nodded. “You were a big help.”

“I don’t even know what I did.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that you helped,” he stated. “And Tadaaki-san told me that you should always repay your gratitude.”

“Tadaaki-san?” the middle blocker questioned.

“My attendant,” he clarified.

“Your attendant? Geez, just how rich are you?” 

“That doesn’t matter right now. I need to know what you want in return for helping me.”

Mattsun-san scratched his head, looking at him with hesitant eyes. “I don’t really have anything I want though. And I shouldn’t really be taking gifts from underclassmen.”

He furrowed his brows in frustration. If the person in question did not know what he wanted, how was he supposed to know what to get? “Anything is fine, Mattsun-san,” he told the upperclassman. 

“Isn’t it fine, Matsukawa-san?” a boy with caramel hair and swishy bangs asked. He had round, brown eyes and thin eyebrows, and soft features. If Tobio recalled correctly, he was one of the setters. A second-year if he were to guess. “If the kid wants to give you something, just accept it.”

“It’s not that simple, Yahaba,” Mattsun-san stated. “Joking around is good and all, but I don’t actually want to get killed by the captains.”

“Your name is Matsukawa-san?” Tobio asked, brows furrowing as he realized he had been calling the upperclassman by the wrong name. 

“Mattsun-san is fine,” the middle blocker assured him.

“I don’t see how it isn’t simple,” the person named Yahaba-san said. “It’s not like Oikawa-san or Iwaizumi-san would kill you because of a gift.”

“Are you kidding me? Oikawa practically aimed that serve at my head!”

“You’re overreacting, Mattsun,” Oikawa-san crooned as he came up from behind Yahaba-san. “It was only an accident.”

“Right. Totally an accident,” the middle blocker said dryly.

“Anyways~” the setter rested his arm around the second-year setter’s shoulder. “What’s this about a gift?” There was a dangerous edge to the older boy’s voice, despite its playful tone. “Is Tobio-chan giving Mattsun a gift?”

“It’s repayment,” Mattsun-san quickly clarified. “I helped him the other day and he wants to repay me.”

“Well, aren’t you lucky to have Tobio-chan give you a gift,” Oikawa-san drawled.

“Green really isn’t a good color on you, Captain,” Makki-san said, standing beside the setters. When he and Iwaizumi-san got there, he did not know. “Who are you to decide who _Tobio-chan_ gives gifts to?”

“Don’t call him that!” the older setter whined.

“So, Tobio-chan,” Makki-san said, completely ignoring the captain, “what kind of gift are you giving Matsukawa?”

“That’s what I want to know!” he exclaimed, turning to Mattsun-san. “What kind of gift do you want as repayment?”

“I really can’t accept a gift,” Mattsun-san declined, hands held up. “I don’t even know what I did to help you.”

“But I have to repay you,” Tobio said, a hint of distress in his voice. 

“Iwaizumi,” Mattsun-san pleaded to the ace. “Convince him!”  
  


The wing spiker only shrugged. “You’re the one he’s giving a gift to,” Iwaizumi-san stated, bitterness coating his tone. “You convince him!”

Mattsun-san gaped. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous, too! This is why I didn’t want to accept his gift!”

“You have to!” Tobio exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air in desperation. “Tadaaki-san said I’ll get cursed if I don’t repay someone’s help!”

“Tadaaki-san?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“His attendant,” Mattsun-san explained.

“You shouldn’t listen to Tadaaki too much, Tobio,” his cousin stated as he came behind Tobio. Kentarou glared at the volleyball players as his cousin placed a protective hand on his shoulder.

He frowned at the older boy’s words. For some reason unknown to him, his cousin and Tadaaki-san had never been able to tolerate each other. They kept a civil enough relationship that no one would suspect their ill will against each other, but their conversations always had hidden jabs and insults.

“Why do you hate Tadaaki-san so much?” he asked his cousin. “And I don’t see why I shouldn’t listen to him. He’s smart, you know.”

“Tadaaki believes that ghosts are real,” Kentarou stated dryly. “I would take whatever he says with a grain of salt.”

“They are real!” Tobio argued, very serious. His cousin took his school bag from his shoulder to carry it with his own. “Energy can’t be destroyed, you know. It only changes form. Hence, ghosts!”

His cousin rolled his eyes, guiding him towards the school gates. “We should go home now, Tobio.”

“But I still need to know what Mattsun-san wants,” he protested.

“Then just settle with a favor for now,” his cousin instructed. “We have to get home before it becomes too dark.”

“Fine,” he grumbled, allowing his cousin to drag him out of the school.

Kentarou sighed, patting his head. “Okaa-san is making curry at home.”

Tobio immediately perked up at the mention of his favorite food. “Pork? With a hot-spring egg on top?”

“What else?” his cousin asked dryly. 

“What are you doing walking so slowly, then?” he demanded, dragging his cousin now. “Hurry up.”

“Brat.”

Needless to say, he had completely forgotten about the volleyball players he had been talking to prior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter honestly wrote itself. I had the idea in my head and it came out perfectly. Tooru and Hajime being jealous is gold, and Matsukawa not wanting to be killed by them is hilarious. 
> 
> Like I said at the beginning notes, the summary was barely even 10% of the chapter, but it was definitely the highlight. Writing Kentarou and Tobio's interactions is so...UGH! I love writing them. I don't think you guys have any idea how much fun it is.
> 
> Also, I've been thinking about my update schedule. On Sundays, I think I will only be able to write one chapter. I have to be somewhere for at least seven hours everyday, so it's impossible to find the time for two chapters. That's all. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> P.S. Hajime is more subtle with his jealousy than Tooru, but I somehow find it more hilarious.


	50. Chapter Forty-Two: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> However, Tooru would have never expected to see his young soulmate at a regular practice session. Had he known, he would have spent more time mentally preparing himself to be scrutinized by the calm, piercing ocean-blue eyes observing from above.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. My brain died about 300 words into this chapter.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy.

Only ten minute had passed since practice began, and he was already near his breaking point.

Seeing the younger boy at the Shiratorizawa match the first time, laughing at the utterly agonizing moment a volleyball had been into his head, had been enough for him to be deprived of any ounce of concentration. He had no idea what the younger boy had been doing there—not that he was going to complain when he had been blessed with the angelic sound of Tobio-chan  _ laughing _ —but he figured that the underclassman had simply been curious about the practice match

However, Tooru would have never expected to see his young soulmate at a regular practice session. Had he known, he would have spent more time mentally preparing himself to be scrutinized by the calm, piercing ocean-blue eyes observing from above.

“Concentrate on the game, Shittykawa,” Hajime ordered him. His other soulmate was not very convincing though, considering he also had a pained expression on his own features.

“How do you expect me to concentrate, Iwa-chan?” he whined, genuinely distressed. 

“I don’t know. Just...focus,” was all the wing spiker could manage.

Neither of them even bothered to entertain the idea of ignoring their soulmate—there was no possible way to ignore Tobio Kageyama. His very presence demanded attention, and his appearance alone was already enough to draw eyes his way. It was impossible to ignore him.

“Iwa-chan,” he cried. 

“Don’t worry about it, Captain,” Makki told him. “ _ Tobio-chan  _ won’t even bother to look at you. He’ll be too busy watching Matsukawa.”

At those words, Mattsun assumed an expression oozing with smugness. His smirk was infuriating as he crooned, “That’s right, Oikawa. He’ll be too focused on his favorite person in the entire world.”

“You are not,” Tooru hissed as he began to serve.    
  


“He said it himself!” Mattsun exclaimed. “Kyoutani heard it, too.”

“Kyouken-chan,” he demanded immediately.

The second-year scowled the nickname, shooting him a withering glare. “Shut up and get started already!”

“He didn’t deny it,” Mattsun taunted, causing Tooru to narrow his eyes. He was seriously considering spiking the ball into his friend’s head.

As the practice match progressed, he became hyperly aware of the gaze coming from above. A gaze that he noticed had been fixed on him for a period of time now. When his soulmate had trained his attention on him, Tooru did not know. What he did know was that the blue-eyed stare was making his senses dulled to everything else going on on the court.

Which was why he had been surprised when Kyoutani spiked the ball so hard that it flew onto the balcony, only to be caught by his soulmate. He watched as Tobio-chan stared at the ball, then stared at the spiker who hit it. Kyoutani was scowling and glaring at him, but that seemed to amuse the younger boy since his eyes crinkled in what seemed to be a smile but not quite reaching it.

Tooru felt his chest burn and his stomach twist, a bitter emotion he had become familiar with these past months roaring to the surface. It was as though they had silent understanding between the two of them, and he could not help but both envy and resent that bond.

“Thank, Kageyama,” Hajime muttered when the younger boy dropped the ball back onto the court, to which he only recieved a single nod in reply.

A complicated expression flashed itself onto the wing spiker’s face, but before Tooru could point it out, they were already onto the next serve. Now was not the time to discuss this, he decided, making a mental note to talk with Hajime once they returned home.

His intentions, however, were not made much easier when he began to notice Tobio-chan watching Mattsun with a small smile on his lips.  _ Mattsun _ . And he was  _ smiling _ . He narrowed his eyes on his soulmate as walked up to serve, not expecting to meet the blue stare. Tooru quickly averted his eyes as focused on his next serve, forcing an easy smile on his lips despite the irritation crawling in his chest.

_ He’ll be too focused on his favorite person in the entire world. _

Mattsun’s words echoed in his mind, as he jumped. And because he caught sight of the middle blocker’s head, because the words echoing his mind only drove his jealousy further, he hit the ball straight into the net. It landed about an inch from the other third-year’s head.

“Sorry, Mattsun,” he said, sticking his tongue out. He was not sorry in the least.

“Your serve is betraying your emotions, Captain,” Mattsun drawled.

Annoyed, he gave the middle blocker a pointed glare. It was a warning to keep his mouth shut. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tooru retorted cooly.

“I smell vinegar,” Makki sang, only fueling his irritation.

For the most part, Makki was not as teasing as Mattsun, but the outside hitter could be just as annoying when he wanted to be. “Shut your mouth,” he ordered the two of them. “Or else I’ll serve the next ball into your head.”

He knew Hajime would not be hitting him for that little threat this time. Tooru could feel the jealousy from his end of the bond as well, and he had no doubt that his soulmate was tempted to spike a ball at both of their friends as well. 

“Don’t be jealous, Captain,” Mattsun cooed. He really was going to spike the other boy with the ball.    
  


“Let’s just finish the match,” he grumbled, wanting practice to end as soon as possible lest he embarrass himself in front of his younger soulmate.

♔♔♔

Tooru had thought that his jealousy could not get any worse than it had during that practice, but he was quickly proven wrong when he saw Tobio-chan and Mattsun talking with each other, Yahaba joining them as well. 

Walking up to them, he managed to catch the ending of Yahaba’s sentence. “—ill you because of a gift.”

“Are you kidding me? Oikawa practically aimed that serve at my head!”

Knowing the middle blocker was talking about his earlier... _ mistake _ , he strolled over and drawled, “You’re overreacting, Mattsun. It was only an accident.”

The taller boy had a completely deadpan look as he sarcastically clipped, “Right. Totally an accident.”

“Anyways~” He rested an arm around Yahaba’s shoulder, feeling the other boy tense slightly but ignoring it. Tooru had something more important to attend to at the moment. “What’s this about a gift? Is Tobio-chan giving Mattsun a gift?”   
  


He did not like the sound of that in least, and the bitterness that rose was practically second nature at this point. Tooru could understand Kyoutani receiving a gift from the blue-eyed boy—not that he liked it in the least—but Tobio-chan barely knew Mattsun. It was unfathomable why his younger soulmate would go out of his way to give the middle blocker something.

“It’s repayment,” Mattsun corrected quickly. “I helped him the other day and he wants to repay me.”

Whatever he called it, he was still getting something from Tobio-chan. “Well,” he drawled, “aren’t you lucky to have Tobio-chan give you a gift?”

“Green really isn’t a good color on you, Captain,” Makki commented from beside him. “Who are you to decide who  _ Tobio-chan  _ gives gifts to?”

“Don’t call him that!” he whined, not liking the name of his soulmate being called so casually.

Makki completely ignored him, turning to address the blue-eyed first-year. “So, Tobio-chan, what kind of gift are you giving Matsukawa?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Tobio-chan exclaimed. He looked utterly adorable with his eyes wide and a cute frown curving his lips. “What kind of gift do you want as repayment?”

So it was a gift. The knowledge caused Tooru to glare at the middle blocker, who held up his hands in surrender at the younger boy’s enthusiasm. “I really can’t accept a gift. I don’t even know what I did to help you.”

“But I have to repay you,” Tobio-chan cried, and he sounded so distressed that Tooru wanted to wrap in his arms and protect him from the world.

“Iwaizumi!” Mattsun begged his other soulmate. “Convince him!”

Hajime only shrugged, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes on the middle blocker. “You’re the one he’s giving a gift to,” his soulmate stated, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his tone. “You convince him.”

Mattsun opened his mouth in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous, too! This is why I didn’t want to accept his gift!”

“You have to!” Tobio-chan yelled, throwing his arms in the air in desperation. He was very cute like that. “Tadaaki-san said I’ll get cursed if I don’t repay someone’s help!”

Before he could register the ridiculousness of that statement, something else caught his attention. “Tadaaki-san?” Tooru questioned, because that was a male name.

“His attendant,” Matsun explained. 

He was about to sputter something about Tobio-chan having an  _ attendant _ when Kyoutani’s rough voice from behind the younger boy. “You shouldn’t listen to Tadaaki too much, Tobio,” the second-year stated.

The glare that was shot at the five of them was withering as the wing spiker placed a possessive hand on the youngest’s shoulder. Tooru narrowed his eyes at the point of contact, and was once again left to wonder the relationship between the two of them.

An adorable pout formed on his soulmate’s lips as he asked the wing spiker, “Why do you hate Tadaaki-san so much? And I don’t see why I shouldn’t listen to him. He’s smart, you know.”

Kyoutani gave the younger boy a blank look. “Tadaaki believes that ghosts are real. I would take whatever he says with a grain of salt.

“They are real!” Tobio argued, his tone and expression very serious.

Tooru did not miss the way Kyoutani casually took the younger boy’s school bag from his shoulder, and how Tobio-chan seemed to accept it as if it were completely natural. He did not want to believe they had any romantic notations with each other, but it was starting to become more and more apparent that it was exactly that. 

“Energy can’t be destroyed, you know,” the blue-eyed boy continued. “It only changes form. Hence, ghosts!” It was endearing how he genuinely seemed to believe that as a fact.

“We should go home now, Tobio,” Kyoutani said after a roll of the eyes. And the words had Tooru tensing every muscle in his body.

“But I still need to know what Mattsun-san wants,” he protested, though the younger boy did not struggle against the hand dragging him away.

“Then just settle with a favor for now,” the second-year told him. “We have to get home before it becomes too dark.”

And again, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, dark jealousy roared to the surface as the younger boy mumbled a “fine,” before allowing the wing spiker to drag him out of the school.

A long silence passed as the five of them stood there, eyes still pinned on where the blue-eyed boy disappeared around the corner. It was broken by Makki's comment, “You two look like you’re going to kill someone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Apparently, my teachers decided they wanted to torture me with two tests and a timed writing today. That was soooo fun. It killed my brain, and I literally couldn't think after writing the first 300 words of this chapter.
> 
> Honestly, I love writing Tooru being jealous. And the fact that he's not subtle in the lease and Tobio still doesn't notice as painful as it is funny.
> 
> Next chapter, it will be revealed to them that Tobio won the competition. How? You'll see.
> 
> Also, I don't believe in ghosts, but if Tobio says they exist, THEY EXIST.


	51. Chapter Forty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No. I’m not.”
> 
> “Yes. You are.”
> 
> “No.”
> 
> “Yes.”
> 
> “No.”
> 
> “Yes.”
> 
> “No—”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fun little chapter with Tobio and his family.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy.

He was welcomed home by the smell of curry being cooked and the warm embrace of his aunt. 

Despite his protests for breath, Mizuki-san seemed determined to squeeze him until he could not breathe. It was only when he was gasping did she eventually let go of him. “I missed you, sweetheart,” his aunt told him. “Congratulations on winning.”

It had been two weeks since he had last seen his aunt, and he had missed her warm presence as well. He told her as much and earned himself another crushing embrace. 

“You haven't seen him in two weeks, so you shouldn’t kill him, Mizu,” Akihiro-san chuckled. 

“Am I just air or something?” Kentarou grumbled, standing by the doorway with crossed arms. His cousin had been completely disregarded by his aunt when they came into the house. “I’m your son for fu-goodness sakes.”

Releasing him from the hug, his aunt narrowed her eyes at the older boy’s near curse. It lasted only a moment before her frown turned into a teasing smile. “I see you everyday,” Mizuki-san huffed.

“You obviously like him more than me,” his cousin stated.

“Tobio doesn’t get in trouble every other day,” his aunt retorted.

“Only because he manipulates people into thinking he’s innocent!” Kentarou argued indignantly. “I’m telling you, he’s done stuff even worse than I have.”

“I have not,” he yelled, totally lying because it was true.

Akihiro-san clapped three times to get their attention. “Alright, alright. Let’s sit down and eat before the curry gets cold.”

It was a common dynamic in their household. The three of them—Tobio, Mizuki-san, and Kentarou—would often break into teasing and playful arguments that could go on for hours, and his uncle would be the one to calm them down. Sometimes, he would join his uncle in simply observing his aunt and cousin bantering with each other. 

He loved being with his family. It was always easy and warm whenever he was with them, and he had no pressure to be something he was not. 

Once they were all seated around the table, he asked his uncle, “Is Tadaaki-san not going to eat with us today?”

Tadaaki-san was practically—no, he was—part of the family by this point, and it was not uncommon for the man to join them for dinner. It was strange that he was not here. In fact, Tadaaki-san had not joined them for dinner ever since he returned to Japan.

“He has a prior commitment to attend to,” his uncle answered vaguely.

  
  


“Rather than that, Tobio,” his aunt began, “have you been well lately? I hadn’t been able to see you, so I was worried.”

“I’m fine,” he stated, almost groaning when he took his first bite of the curry. All of the food his aunt cooked was amazing, but her curry would always be the best.

“I could have told you that, Okaa-san,” Kentarou said. “He picks a fight with me almost every day at school.”

“What are you talking about? You’re always the one who starts them.”

“No. I’m not.”

“Yes. You are.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No—”

“Enough, you two,” Mizuki-san said sternly. “This is dinner time. Not bickering time.”

Akihiro-san only chuckled. “You two never change.”

“I like to think I’ve grown much more mature than him,” Tobio stated, jabbing his thumb at his cousin. “At least I don’t resort to violence as a solution to every problem.”

“Says the guy whose headbutted me just because of a prank,” Kentarou retorted cooly.

“Because you’re too dumb to be able to understand anything other than violence.”

“You little brat,” his cousin hissed, scowling.

“Idiot.”

“Both of you—” Mzuki-san began.

“Asshole.”

“Dumbass.”

“Tobio! Kentarou!”

“Arrogant bastard.”

“Fucking unicell.”

“ _ Enough! _ ” his aunt practically snarled, causing both of them to freeze in their seats. “How many times have I told you not to swear in this household? How many times have I told you to fight during dinner?”

Both of them remained silent, not daring to utter a single word. Tobio tried to plead with Akihiro-san through his eyes, but the traitor had his head turned away. He could see the man’s shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

“Both of you, go to the time-out room,” his aunt ordered, pointing upstairs.

He and Kentarou both balked at the words. “Time-out room?” he squawked.

“We’re not five!” his cousin protested.

Her glare shut them both up immediately. “Well, you’re certainly acting like five-years-olds! I won’t repeat it again. GO!”   
  


Knowing better than to argue right now, both of them stomped their way into the familiar room that they found themselves in so often when they were younger.

Mizuki-san locked the door from the outside the moment they were inside, and they both glared at the single bed in the center of the room. His aunt had the idea that being forced to sleep together on the same bed would resolve whatever argument they had with each other. 

Although it worked most of the time, it was because both of them faked good behavior in order to get away from each other as soon as possible. 

“This is your fault,” he grumbled. 

“It’s yours,” his cousin argued.

It was as natural as air for them to separate the bed into two separate halves, both of them with their backs to each other. They wrestled for the single blanket for a good ten minutes before they settled on tugging the ends to barely cover their bodies.

“I’m cold,” he whined to his cousin.

“You baby,” his cousin insulted.

Although he said that, Kentarou shuffled so that they were both closer to each other. It was close enough that they felt each other’s warmth in addition to the blanket. 

It was not long before they fell asleep, cuddled beside each other.

♚♚♚

“Kentarou~” he whined, leaning his head against his cousin’s shoulder. “I’m sleepy.”

“Why do you always revert to being an eight year old when you’re tired?” his cousin asked.

Kentarou had skipped morning practice today in favor of getting more sleep, something they were both lacking considering they had kicked each other off the bed multiple times during the night. 

“Get off of me,” his cousin grumbled.

He ignored him, throwing his arms over the older boy’s shoulder so that his cousin was half-piggybacking and half-dragging him. “I’m tired. You should carry me to class.”

“Like hell I’m gonna do that.”

Both of them had arrived in the auditorium just in time for the morning assembly, and he barely picked up anything of what the principal was droning on about. 

  
Sleep. He wanted to sleep. He desperately wanted to sleep. His mind was revolving sleep.

“-tend our congratulations to Tobio Kageyama for his win at the All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going to say it now: Kentarou absolutely spoils his cousin. And it is great; I regret nothing. 
> 
> Tobio and Kentarou relationship is always fun to write, and it seems you guys love it too. 
> 
> Also, shout out to rosemacc for giving me the idea of the school announcing it. I hadn't thought of that and it's actually to reveal Tobio is a pianist.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	52. Chapter Forty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was near tears at this point. “Please, Kentarou,” he begged, a testament to how desperate he was at this point. He never begged. 
> 
> “No can do,” the bastard said, continuing to hold him where he sat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD. I actually uploaded this chapter at the time I wanted to upload it.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

Any fatigue he had remaining from the sleepless night disappeared in an instant as pure horror overtook his mind. His blood rushed to his ears, the sound of it deafening. His body was warm, heated by embarrassment.

On instinct, his feet moved by itself as he turned around to escape the gym. He was  _ not _ going to school today. There was no way. 

“Oh, no,” Kentarou said, catching his arm the moment he took a step forward. “You are not getting out of this.”

“Kentarou,” he whined as his cousin began dragging him into the hallways of the school. He pulled against the grip, but it only tightened. “Let me go!”

“No way.” Tobio was trying desperately to pull himself in the opposite direction, the direction where the school gates were. It was futile, however, considering his cousin was significantly stronger than him. “If I had to endure the embarrassment of coming to school with pink hair, you have to suffer through this as well.”

“Kentarou!” It was an outright cry of horror as he noticed people were looking. 

He wanted to hide—possibly curl up into a hole and never come out. He wanted to escape. He did not care where, but anywhere would be better than here. He could see the eyes crawling over his body, whispering about the announcement.

“Kentarou!”

“We’re already at your class, Tobio,” his cousin stated, pulling him into the room.

Every one of his classmates were looking at them as Kentarou proceeded to drag him to his seat, forcing him to sit down. When he made to stand up, to climb through the window and out of the school, his cousin pushed him down again. 

“Let me leave,” he practically pleaded with his cousin, eyes wide with desperation and embarrassment.

Kentarou seemed to take pity on him, because the older boy reached his hand out to pat his head. “Sorry, Tobi,” his cousin apologized, not apologetic in the least, “but this is karma for what you did to me. Now you’ll understand my embarrassment.”   
  


He slapped the bastard’s hand away from his head, glaring at the older boy with enough venom to kill. Tobio was still trying to stand up. He knew that his face was becoming more and more red by the second—could feel as the heat grew hotter and hotter until it seemed to burn his skin.

He was near tears at this point. “Please, Kentarou,” he begged, a testament to how desperate he was at this point. He  _ never _ begged. 

“No can do,” the bastard said, continuing to hold him where he sat. “And didn’t say you’ve been skipping school too much?”

“I don’t care anymore!” he exclaimed, still trying to rise to his feet. “Let the teachers call Akihiro-san!”

“Uh...Kageyama?” Kunimi called out to him. Dull eyes peeked over his cousin’s shoulder, undisguised amusement glimmering in them. “Are you alright? You’re really red.”

“I fucking know that!” he cried, burying his face in his hands. 

The worst. This was the absolute worst. Why the hell do schools think that it was a good idea to embarrass their students in front of hundreds of people?

“Why the hell are you even embarrassed?” his cousin asked. “You literally performed in front of hundreds of people already!”

“Shut up!” he ordered, the words muffled by his hands. “That’s completely different.”

“I never knew you played the piano,” Kunimi told him.

He groaned. This was precisely why he did  _ not _ want anyone in the school to know. He dreaded questions, because that meant he would have to answer them. In order to answer them, he would have to actually talk to people. To talk to people, he would need to have social skills. Social skills which he lacked.

“I quit in elementary school,” he grumbled, still talking into his hands. “I started again a few months ago.”

“It’s nearly time for class to start,” his cousin informed him. “I’ll be leaving for mine, so be good and stay here, Tobio.”   
  
“Go die in hell, you fucking asshole,” he told the bastard. 

He was so embarrassed that he would barely be able to lift his head from his hands much less move to escape. Kentarou knew that, too, which was why the older boy did not hesitate to leave for his class. 

Even when the teacher came in, Tobio kept his head buried in his arms, refusing to look up from his desk. He wanted the day to end already.

♚♚♚

Several girls in his class had approached during the passing period, asking him various questions about the competition. He had no idea why, considering he had never spoken to any of them before, but it was rude to ignore them. So he spent the break times straining his energy to try and appear civil.

By the time lunch came around, he was wanting to go home more than ever. He was spent from talking so much and the fatigue from last night’s lack of sleep was hitting him again.

“Aren’t you going to eat with Kyoutani-san today?” Kunimi asked him, having just returned from the cafeteria.

The other first-year has taken pity on him and did him the favor of buying his lunch as well. Even if the rational part of him said that most of the school had no idea who he was, the embarrassed, irrational part of him had become too paranoid to believe that.

“No,” he scowled. “I might murder him if I see him now.”

If it were not for his cousin, he would be at home at the moment. He would be curled into the warmth of blankets, his head resting on soft pillows instead of a hard desk.

“Oh...um…”

“What?” he asked, his patient nonexistent with his currently tired state.

“...Kindaichi is coming here to eat with me…”

He turned his head to the side, looking at the other boy with one eye. “So what?”

“So won’t you be uncomfortable?”

“Why the hell would I be uncomfortable?”

Kindaichi coming to the class had nothing to do with him, after all. He planned to get some sleep after finishing his lunch, and unless the presence of the other boy disturbed his rest, he could care less whether Kindaichi was coming here or not.

“As long as he doesn’t wake me up, I don’t really care,” he stated.

Kunimi gave him an unidentifiable look that had him confused, but before he could ask, the other boy simply said, “You’re weird.”

“Huh?” he demanded.

Kindaichi opened the door at that moment, and Tobio went back to eating his lunch. He was chasing sleep at this point, and was almost swallowing the sandwich whole to reach unconsciousness faster. 

“You...should be careful not to choke, Kageyama,” Kindaichi warned him with an expression that looked like horrified awe. 

“‘S finth,” he said around a particularly large bite. He swallowed it with little difficulty. “As long as I get a few minutes of sleep.”

“You sleep too much,” Kunimi commented.

“That’s a case of the kettle calling the pot black, Kunimi,” Kindaichi said dryly.

“I, at least, don’t sleep during class,” the tired-eyed boy defended.   
  


“As long as I pass, it’s fine,” Tobio stated. 

“But you failed all of your classes in junior high,” Kindaichi pointed out.

He groaned. Why did so many people think he was stupid just because he failed his classes? Grades were not a sign of intelligence and he would like it if people stopped assuming he was dumb because of them. 

“I’m passing my classes now, thank you very much,” he said, voice dripping with disdain. 

Kunimi nodded in agreement, having seen his test scores. “His grades are better than yours, Kindaichi.”

“They are not!” he protested.

“They are,” Kunimi stated.

Tobio sniffed, offended by the disbelief etched in the wing spiker’s expression. “You’re being rather rude,” he said, giving him the side eye. “The only reason I had worse grades than you in junior high was because I was too focused on volleyball.”

He saw Kindaichi tense, though he had no idea why. He wanted to ask but Kunimi questioned him first, “Aren’t you playing the piano now? Don’t you focus on that, too? I mean, you won a national competition, after all.”

His face flamed at the reminder. Once again, he wanted to curl up into a hole and never come out. He went back to burning his face into his desk. “I only practice for about 4 hours a day,” he mumbled. “Any more and my aunt would take away my piano.”

“You seemed to practice a lot more when you played volleyball though,” Kindaichi said softly.

Still talking into the desk, he made a noise of agreement. “It’s because I practiced so much that my aunt forbade me.”

Mizuki-san had made that as one of the conditions when she allowed him to live by himself. She had seen what practicing too much would do to his emotional health from volleyball, and she had wanted to prevent that with the piano. He had agreed to it because she was right—it had not been uncommon for him to use practice as an excuse to ignore his emotions.

“Why aren’t you playing volleyball, Kageyama?” Kunimi asked, the words slow and cautious.

He whipped his head up, the action seemed to have caught the other two by surprise because they both flinched. Tobio looked straight into tired eyes, and said, “Because I can’t.”

“You...can’t?” Kunimi questioned.

“What does that mean?” Kindaichi asked, a complicated expression on his face. 

“It means exactly that. I can’t play anymore.”

Tobio stood up from his seat to throw away the wrapper from his sandwich. He returned to his seat, aware of the two gazes following his every move.

He turned his head to both of them. “Wake me up and I’ll kill you,” he threatened, tone incredibly serious and grave.

It only took a minute before he faded into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so easy to write. All the words and all the interactions just came so easily.
> 
> Tobio being embarrassed is literally adorable. Him being oblivious to girls is just typical of his personality and I feel like that would actually be his reaction to girls flirting with him. 
> 
> I FINALLY, after FOURTY-FOUR CHAPTERS, managed to get Kindaichi to have a conversation with Tobio. I thought this was a good time to build that relationship, because Tobio will start interacting with the volleyball club a lot more now...
> 
> I'm sorry for what I will soon do to our poor baby.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> Also, Tobio's family is the best. I love how I wrote them out to be.


	53. Chapter Forty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barely able to form a coherent thought, and eyes drifting closed again, he rested his head onto his cousin’s shoulder. “I want to sleep,” he muttered.
> 
> “You’ve already slept for a few hours,” his cousin stated, amusement coating his voice. “Aren’t you tired of sleeping?”
> 
> “You can never be tired of sleeping,” was his reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! This is just a simple fluff chapter. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

“Tobio,” he heard his cousin call. “Tobio. Wake up.”

He groaned, eyes and body still heavy from fatigue. Irritation surged through him in waves—Kentarou should know better than to disturb his sleep.

“Tobio,” the older boy continued, shaking him from the shoulders. 

“Five more minutes,” he mumbled, burying his head deeper into his arms. 

“Wake up, you little brat!” his cousin screamed into his ear. “School’s over and I have to go to practice.”

“Then go.”

“I can’t exactly leave you sleeping in a room by yourself at school,” Kentarou said dryly.

Grumbling a series of curses, he turned his head to the side to shoot his cousin a glare through lidded eyes. Drowsily, he staggered to rise to his feet, swaying slightly from side to side. He vaguely registered that his cousin grab his school bag, the older boy throwing it over his shoulder. 

“Let’s go,” his cousin instructed, guiding him by the hand as they walked into the hallways.

Tobio was imagining the warm embrace of blankets at home as they made their way to what assumed was the gym. He could practically feel the softness of his down pillow against his head and was already dozing off again.

Barely able to form a coherent thought, and eyes drifting closed again, he rested his head onto his cousin’s shoulder. “I want to sleep,” he muttered.

“You’ve already slept for a few hours,” his cousin stated, amusement coating his voice. “Aren’t you tired of sleeping?”

“You can never be tired of sleeping,” was his reply.

It was awkward walking with his head on his cousin’s shoulder, but he was far too drowsy to walk upright. His cousin must have sensed it too, because Kentarou did not utter a single complaint until they arrived at the gym.

The older boy handed him back his school bag as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to adjust to the sudden brightness. 

“Are you sure you can go home by yourself?” his cousin asked with a concerned expression.

He nodded, the weight of his head causing him to go lower than he intended. “Mmhmm.”

Kentarou did not look convinced in the least. “You look like you’re about to fall over any second.”

“‘m fine.” he mumbled, furrowing his brows as he tried to keep his eyes open. “I want to go home and sleep some more.”

“Maybe I should just call Tadaaki to pick you up.”

“He’s at...at...at...at...” He frowned as he tried to remember where the man said he was going to be. “Somewhere,” he finished lamely.

“Is something wrong, Kageyama?” he recognized the voice as Iwaizumi-san.

Tobio narrowed his eyes as he tried to make out the upperclassman, but he could only see a blurry blob of skin and hair. “Just..sleepy.”

Kentarou gripped his head, pushing his face upward so that he was forced to look at the older boy in the eyes. “Why are you so sleepy anyways?” his cousin asked. 

“‘s your fault,” he complained, though it came out as more of a weak grumble. “You kept kicking me off the bed all night.”

He could have sworn he saw Iwaizumi-san tense, but his mind was so foggy and his vision was so blurry that he figured he must have imagined it. There was no reason why the upperclassman would have been made uncomfortable, after all.

A yawn escaped his mouth before he could prevent it, causing him to cover it with his hand. “I should...probably go home now.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san said worriedly. 

He waved away the concern with furrowed brows. “It’s fine, it’s fine.”

“Say that when you can stand upright, Tobio,” Kentarou said dryly, a grip on his arm to steady him.

“Thanks, Kentarou,” he mumbled.

“You must be really sleepy if you’re actually thanking me.”

“I’ll call you when I get home,” he told his cousin. He did not forget to bow to Iwaizumi-san as he left. “Bye-bye, Iwaizumi-san.”   
  


Later, he was sure he would be embarrassed to hell for the way he was currently acting. However, his mind was currently too muddled with sleep and fatigue that he did not really register any of the things he was doing.

Tobio somehow managed to navigate the streets back to his apartment complex—he would have to thank muscle memory for that. It was fortunate for him that his neighborhood was a quiet, reserved place that not many people bothered him about his sleepy state. There was also the fact that not many people were out wandering the streets at this time, which spared him from any further embarrassment he might suffer once his mind was clear.

None of the employees working in his complex asked him any questions as he staggered into the building, not even blinking at his odd behavior. 

He nearly fell asleep inside the elevator, only avoiding it when the ding signalled that he had reached his floor.

His apartment complex prioritized security above all else, so most of the apartments had two entrances. The first one had a passcode lock. The second one required a key.

He stumbled through the entrances and immediately headed to his bedroom, eyes drifting closed the moment his head hit the pillow. Vaguely, he remembered his promise to call his cousin once he got home.

Blindly reaching for the phone in his pocket, he tapped several times until he managed to dial his cousin’s number. Kentarou picked up on the third ring.

“I’m home,” he mumbled.

“Did you get home safely?” his cousin asked.

“Mmmhmmm. ‘Night, Kentarou.”

The call had not even ended before he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret absolutely nothing.
> 
> And yes, I did make Hajime think that Tobio and Kentarou slept together (well, they did, but you know what I mean). I thrive on making Tooru and Hajime jealous.
> 
> Kentarou in this chapter is the best. I was thinking how I've made him appear really rough in this story, so I wanted somehting to demonstrate his soft side towards Tobio. 
> 
> I wrote this chapter based on how I act when I've been woken up and am still sleepy. This is probably exactly what I would do if I was in Tobio's position.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter because the next chapter...once again, I am very sorry.


	54. Chapter Forty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had no idea where he intended to go, but he figured wandering around would do him no harm and continued walking. His feet eventually took him to a broken down tree—the place where his mother abandoned him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, I am really, really sorry for this chapter. It was painful to write.
> 
> Trigger Warning: Child abandonment and sexual assault.

It was not common for him to wake up, completely overwhelmed by everything around him—as though the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders. It was not common, but there were those rare days when everything seemed to matter yet nothing seemed to matter at the same time.

On those days, he would be haunted by the hazy memories of his mother and the despair of his physical therapy. On those days, he wanted nothing more than to cocoon himself into the safety of his blankets and surrender himself to the embrace of sleep.

Today was one of those days.

He skipped school. Obviously. 

Tobio desperately wished for the company of his family. When he was still living with his aunt and uncle, the house was always warm and cozy, happy memories found in every corner of every room. It was times like these when he missed being surrounded by his family all the time.

Alone in his apartment, he felt as though the walls were closing in on him. His lung felt heavy and his ears were ringing. Every breath seemed to be a struggle—it was as though he were underwater.

Recognizing the familiar pattern, he immediately rolled out of the bed and changed his clothes. Tobio needed to change his environment before he descended into an abyss of self-loathing and misery. 

Walking around the streets had seemed a viable solution, considering he had no desire to stay inside an unknown building. The thought of being surrounded by strangers also unnerved him, and would likely only worsen his current mental state. He was not someone who could tolerate noise so patiently when he felt like hell. 

The moment he stepped outside, it was apparent that summer would soon arrive, the temperatures already rising. Although it was his least favorite season of the year, he did not mind it at the moment. The heat felt warm and reassuring as it embraced him, and the bright rays of the sun helped in clearing away the dark clouds of his mind.

He had no idea where he intended to go, but he figured wandering around would do him no harm and continued walking. His feet eventually took him to a broken down tree—the place where his mother abandoned him.

* * *

_ Eight years old, Tobio felt cold as his mother guided him through the pouring rain. Murky, grey clouds covered the sky with their darkness, drowning out any hint of the sun. The droplet falling from the air pelted his skin and the wetness seeped into his clothes. It made him shiver and tremble, making him want to run back to the warmth of his home. _

_ “Mama,” he called out to the woman dragging him by the hand. His mother did not respond. She did not even spare him a single glance as she pulled on his arm.  _

_ “Be quiet, Tobio,” his mother ordered. _

_ Tobio knew he should not try to talk to her when she was in a bad mood. He knew that it would only make her more angry and that he would be punished, either by being locked in a closet without food for days or just hit if he was lucky. He knew he should not talk, but he was scared and he wanted to go home. _

_ “Mama,” he tried again. “Mama, where are we going?” _

_ “I told you to be quiet,” she snapped, tightening her grip and pinning a withering glare on him. _

_ “I-I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized, tears gathering in his eyes. _

_ He almost fell over when his mother yanked on his arm as she quickened her steps. He could barely keep up with her long strides and he could not see through the fog either. With no idea where they were and where they were going, his fear quickly transformed into terror.  _

_ “Mama…” he said again, tears falling now. “Where are we going? I want to go home.” _

_ His mother did not answer him. She only continued to pull him along until they reached a tree. It was big and tall, an oak tree with full leaves and some flowers on its branches. _

_ He cried out in pain as he was pushed into its trunk, the bark digging into his back. He quickly panicked as he felt a rope around his stomach and arm, kicking his legs as he tried to escape from the tie binding him.  _ _   
  
_

_ “Mama!” he screamed. “What are you doing? Mama!” _

_ Tobio watched in horror as his mother came around, having finished tying the knot. Her eyes were cold and emotionless, but there was a cruel, mirthful smile on her lips as she said, “I should have done this earlier.” _

_ “Mama…” _

_ Her hand stroked his face. “I wish I had never given birth to you.” _

_ When she turned around to leave, Tobio wailed. “MAMA! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY!” _

_ But his mother did not stop. She did not look back even once. She continued walking and walking and walking until she disappeared into the fog.  _

_ And Tobio, still tied to the tree and soaked by the rain, could apologize over and over, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” praying that his mother would come back for him. _

* * *

A cruel smile curved his lips at the memory.

He barely remembered the aftermath of it, the high fever he had developed from the rain having blurred the events. All he knew was that he had woken up in the hospital, greeted by the sight of a man sleeping on the bed as he sat uncomfortably in a chair. 

It was the first time he had ever met his uncle, the brother of the man who sired him. He had never met his father or the paternal side of his family before, so he had not known who Akihiro-san was at the time.

Looking back on it now, he supposed he should thank his mother for abandoning him. It was because of that that he was now blessed by such a warm family. He was happy, something he would have never been with that woman.

Sighing, he looked up to realize that the sky had darkened. It was beginning to turn gold and he figured it was a cue for him to return home.

It was unfortunate for him that he ran into a group of drunkards on the way, all of them reeking with the smell of alcohol. He deliberately ignored them as he moved to dodge away from their path, but the biggest one of them reached out to grab his arm.

“Where’re you goin’, swee’heart?” the man slurred. “Wanna join us for sum’ fun?”

“No, thanks,” he declined, recoiling at the touch.

When he made to pull away his hand, the grip on his wrist tightened until it was almost painful. “Come ‘n. Don’ be such a downer.”

“No, thanks,” he repeated, more sternly this time. 

He pulled with more force this time, his other hand reaching for his phone...only to realize with a start that the device was nowhere to be found and that he had left it at home when he left his apartment.

Panic invaded his being as the man pulled him closer, and that the entire group of drunkards were beginning to surround him. Panic turned to terror as they cornered him against a wall. His mind raced to figure out how to escape this situation.

“‘ou’re a perty litt’ thing, aren’t ya?” one of the said, running an appreciative eye down his body.

Bile rose in his throat as a hand dipped underneath his shirt. Disgust and revulsion shuddered through him as the hand climbed higher and higher.

On instinct, he jerked his knee upward, directly into the man’s groin. “You fucking bitch,” one of them growled, making to grab at his hair. 

Movements slowed by alcohol, he easily ducked underneath the thick arm and maneuvered himself out his cornered state.

Without hesitation, he  _ ran _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I warned you guys.
> 
> So I finally revealed how Tobio's mother abandoned him. I hope it reveals more of why he is traumatized by being abandoned, and why he can't just get over being abandoned by his teammates and soulmates so easily.
> 
> It literally disgusted me to write what the drunkards were doing. Sexual assault is NOT funny and I hate how the media sometimes romanticizes it. It is completely ridiculous that the idea of being touched without consent is seen as romantic. 
> 
> I hoped you guys enjoyed (well, not enjoy) this chapter.


	55. Chapter Forty-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Kageyama?” Kunimi sprinted up to him, panic and fear clear in his expression. “Are you okay? What happened?”
> 
> “No, I’m not fucking okay,” he snarled. “Does it look like I’m okay?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter of Tobio being in pain. Although I don't regret writing it, it doesn't make me happy.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.  _ SHIT. _

He regretted it the instant his left leg landed onto the ground, the acute pain piercing. It was absolutely agonizing, and tears began lining his eyes as his lower leg  _ seared _ . A scream threatened to rip from his throat. 

It was a miracle that he had yet to collapse, considering he was positive something definitely broke. Tobio forced himself to push the pain away from his mind, to continue running away from the men currently chasing. 

Tobio was barely aware of where he was going, only vaguely recognizing the streets. All he knew was that he needed to get away.

He refused to turn around, refused to give those drunkards an inch of a chance. There was no fucking way he could win a fight against them; they were stronger, built broader, and they had alcohol to blur their judgements. It was better to run. It was his best bet. Despite how hellish doing so was.

Fuck drunkards. Fuck alcohol. Fuck them all to hell.

If he was going to be forced to endure another surgery, he was going damn every drunkard to hell. He was going to hunt down every single one of them. He swore he was.

He eventually came across a familiar street, and did not hesitate to turn down that direction.

It was not long before Aoba Johsai came into sight.

His cousin. His first thought was his cousin. Kentarou would likely try and chase down those bastards, but the older boy was always a comforting presence. 

He gambling on the fact that the volleyball club was still practicing at 6:00 PM. 

_ WHY THE FUCKING HELL WERE PEOPLE DRUNK AT 6:00 PM! _

He slammed the doors of the gym open, and was met with the sight of several players looking in his direction. Relieved as fuck, he unceremoniously collapsed onto the ground as his leg finally gave out. The pain that he had been ignoring for so long finally registered and he had to lock his jaw to scream out loud.

His soulmates screamed for him though, and he vaguely realized that he had not put up a wall to block their bond. Tobio did not fucking care at the moment, though. Not when his leg felt like shit.

“Kageyama?” Kunimi sprinted up to him, panic and fear clear in his expression. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“No, I’m not fucking  _ okay _ ,” he snarled. “Does it look like I’m okay?”

Although Tobio knew that this was not Kunimi’s fault, he had no patience at the moment to tolerate that kind of stupid question. It was obvious that he was not okay.

“Where’s Kentarou?” he demanded. He needed both his cousin’s presence and the older boy’s phone.

“Kyo-Kyoutani-san went home early today,” Kunimi answered. 

Of  _ fucking _ course he did. The universe fucking hated him after all.

“Phone,” he ordered, reaching a hand out to the other boy.

“What?” the wing spiker seemed startled.

“ _ Phone _ ,” he repeated, unable to form a sentence. The pain in his leg was so excruciating that he could barely think.

It was Kindaichi who gave him the device, complexion pale and looking like he wanted to throw up. Tobio had no idea why  _ he _ wanted to throw up, when it was his leg that was screaming.

He entered the series of numbers into the pad, the person picking up almost immediately. “Hello, who is this?”

“Tadaaki-san…” he panted out.

“Tobio-sama? What’s wrong?” The man’s voice was frantic and worried.

“Leg...hurts…”

“Your leg!” Tadaaki-san practically screamed. “Tobio? Where are you right now?”

“School,” he gritted out. 

“I’ll be there right away. Try not to move your leg too much.”

Like he fucking could. It was laying in front of him, completely limp and it looked swollen underneath his pants. 

He handed the phone back to Kindaichi, the other boy looking horrified as he looked at Tobio. “Should I call an ambulance?” the wing spiker asked.

“An ambulance takes too fucking long. I’ve already called someone.”

He was not waiting for an ambulance. It was ridiculous how long those things took to arrive. Tadaaki-san, even if he was in Tokyo, would get here faster.

“Tobio-chan…” he heard Oikawa-san mumbled. He turned to look at the upperclassman, feeling slightly guilty at pain etched in his expression. “What’s...what’s wrong with your leg?”

He did not want to talk. Talking required too much energy, something he was immensely lacking at the moment. But the older boy was being forced to endure the same pain as him, so he thought it was only fair that his soulmate knew the reason why.

“I was in a car crash a few months ago,” he explained, leaning the back of his head against the door and closing his eyes. “Shattered my leg. I’m not supposed to run, because of…” he gestured to his leg, “this.”

“Is-is that why you didn’t join the club?” Kindaichi asked.

“ _ Obviously _ ,” he snapped. “Is this really the time to be fucking asking this?” A cold hand pressed against his forehead, and he opened his eyes to see Oikawa-san with a pained expression. “What are you—”

“You’re really pale, Tobio-chan,” his soulmate murmured, pushing his fringe out of his eyes. “You look like you’re going to faint any moment now.”

He wanted to. “Thanks,” he said dryly, leaning into the touch. His body was heated with pain, and the coolness of the older boy’s hand was refreshing. “That’s very reassuring, Oikawa-san.”

The setter snorted. “If you have the energy to be sarcastic, then you’re probably fine, Tobio-chan.” Although he said that, the older boy’s eyes were glimmering with worry.

Iwaizumi-san crouched into his line of vision, his own expression also full of concern. He handed him two pills. “They’re painkillers. Take them.”

“Thanks,” he muttered, shoving them into his mouth and swallowing them dry. 

“Don’t just swallow them, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa-san cried.

He thanked Iwaizumi-san again when the ace handed him some water. It was cold and refreshing as it flowed down his throat and into his stomach.

“Are you feeling better?” Iwaizumi-san asked. 

He nodded. The pain had eased from a piercing pain to a low throbbing, still there but much more tolerable. 

At this point, his entire shirt was coated in sweat. His hair was damp and forehead wet. He was dead tired and he wanted to sleep. He wished Tadaaki-san would come soon.

As if on cue, he saw the man enter through the school gates and look around frantically. Tobio did not have the energy to call out to him, so he resorted to tugging on Iwaizumi-san’s shirt.

“What is it, Kageyama?” he asked immediately.

“The gate,” he murmured. “Tadaaki-san…”

Iwaizumi-san seemed to get the idea, because the older boy stood up to run over to Tadaaki-san. The man marched over to him the instant their eyes connected, expression panicked and concerned.

Tadaaki-san crouched down, bringing his arms under Tobio’s armpits and carefully picked him, making sure not to disturb his left leg. It was easy for him since the man had gotten plenty of practice in the months he had a shattered leg. “I thought you knew not to run with your leg,” he chastised.

“I didn’t really have a choice when drunkards sexually assaulted me,” he retorted, wrapping his arms around the attendant’s neck. He rested his head into the crook of Tadaaki-san’s shoulder, the position extremely familiar from when he was younger,

He felt the arms around him tighten. “Did they—”

“I kicked them in the groin before they could try anything,” he reassured him.

He heard a huff. “Why am I not surprised?” He felt the man nod. “Thank you for taking care of Tobio-sama,” Tadaaki-san said to whom he assumed was the volleyball club.

Tobio was turned around when Tadaaki-san began to carry him outside the school. He did not bother to look up from where he rested his head, figuring he could thank the volleyball club later. 

“Tadaaki-san,” he murmured against the man’s shoulder. “Do you think I’ll have to do physical therapy again?”

He tightened his arms around Tadaaki-san neck, the thought of physical therapy utterly terrifying him. He never wanted to experience that despair, that helplessness, ever again.

“I don’t know, Tobio-sama.”

“I hope not,” he continued. “I don’t ever want to go through that again.”

“You will get through it if you do,” the man reassured him. 

“I really love you, Tadaaki-san,” he muttered. 

Tadaaki-san laughed. “I love you, too, Tobio.”

He was placed in the car gently, the attendant buckling his seatbelt for him. The drive to hospital was silent, and once they arrived, he was left with nothing but dread.

Tobio could only resign himself as he was carried into the place that had been equivalent to hell for him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite things about this story is Tadaaki. Like, his relationship with Tobio is so precious...and him rushing there the moment he knew Tobio was in pain...the world needs more people like Tadaaki.
> 
> I love that Tooru and Hajime were trying to take care of him in this chapter. It was obvious they barely knew what to do, but they were so worried for Tobio that it was kinda cute. I also like the fact that they felt Tobio's pain as well.
> 
> Also, the four of them finally found out the reason why Tobio didn't join the club. Wonder how they'll react?
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one will have Kindaichi's perspective, so look forward to it.


	56. Chapter Forty-Seven: Yuutarou's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had ignored too much about the younger boy, he realized. He had never noticed the fact that Kageyama had no friends. He had never noticed how, despite the setter having met all their parents before, they had never met his. He had never noticed, and he regretted it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a long time to write, but I am very happy with how it turned out.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

Yuutarou would like to think of himself as a generally agreeable person. He got along well with the majority of the people he encountered and he had no problems with accepting criticism.

He thought he was a decent volleyball player as well. Nothing to the point that he would be considered a genius, but skilled enough that he earned a starting position on his team. He was confident with himself and his abilities.

It was a different matter with Kageyama though.

When he had met the younger boy, Yuutarou had been amazed. It was obvious to everyone the talent he possessed as a setter and player. Most apparent was his incredible technique and game sense. He had an awkward personality, however, and his sociability was less than good. 

He often found himself paired with the blue-eyed setter during practice, on account that they were in the same year and that their skill levels were above their peers. It was not as challenging as he had expected it would; despite his quiet and unsociable nature, Kageyama was bold and outspoken when it came to volleyball. The setter communicated his observations and criticisms without reserve, and rarely ever spared him a compliment.

Strangely enough, it only stimulated his desire to improve. Yuutarou accepted every criticism, met every demand, and quickly saw himself becoming better. It was easy, too. Kageyama’s tosses were so accurate and precise that he rarely ever missed a spike. 

Something about the setter changed in their second year, however. Although he had been unsociable before, the younger boy had become much more unfriendly. A scowl seemed to be perpetually etched onto his mouth and his eyes were always glaring. 

Yuutarou had been worried but disregarded it, figuring his less than favorable behaviour was due to hormones and puberty. It was not as though it affected their playing, considering his sets were as amazing as always. 

So, he pushed the matter away from his mind, ignoring the small voice telling him that something was wrong.

And then their third year came.

If Kageyama had been unfriendly before, he was outright hostile now. He snapped every time someone tried to talk to him and never listened whenever someone commented on his rudeness.

Not only that, but his tosses had been slowly becoming worse and worse. Too fast and too high. Impossible to hit. And the worst part, he blamed it on Yuutarou for not able to spike them.

Yuutarou would like to think of himself as a generally agreeable person. He got along well with the majority of the people he encountered and he had no problems with accepting criticism.

He thought he was a decent volleyball player as well. Nothing to the point that he would be considered a genius, but skilled enough that he earned a starting position on his team. He was confident with himself and his abilities.

It was infuriating how Kageyama demeaned him every time he failed to hit one of those impossible tosses. It was infuriating how he barked orders at them to “jump higher,” “be faster.” It was infuriating how the setter seemed to treat them as peasants as he acted as though he were a king. It was infuriating, and he had grown sick of it.

Yuutarou would never forget the absolutely haunted expression on the younger boy when he realized no one had been there to spike the ball. But he ignored it. Ignored the small voice that was now screaming at him. 

He had been too tired—too angry—to bother listening.

Yuutarou regretted it a month later. A month later, when all traces of the blue-eyed setter seemed to disappear.

He had accompanied Kunimi to the younger boy’s home, the latter not wanting to face Kageyama by himself. Not that he could blame him—he did not want to see the setter either.

Rather than Kageyama, however, they had been greeted by a stranger who informed them that the younger boy had moved homes months ago. 

Despite what had happened between them, they had known each other for three years. Yuutarou could not deny that it was worrying. Even more so when they found out the school had not been told this fact.

It was even more concerning when Kageyama did not show up in school for a month. 

And then one month turned into two. And two turned into three. Until six months passed and the school year ended. They graduated and there was still no sign of Kageyama.

Yuutarou blamed himself for it. He could not help the questions that seemed to haunt him.

_ Was it his fault? _

_ Should he have done more? _

_ If he had tried talking to him more, would things have turned out differently? _

He had ignored too much about the younger boy, he realized. He had never noticed the fact that Kageyama had no friends. He had never noticed how, despite the setter having met all their parents before, they had never met his. He had never noticed, and he regretted it.

When he saw the blue-eyed boy’s name on the roster of incoming first-years, relieved could not even begin to describe how he felt. 

That relief, however, quickly transformed into confusion when Yuutarou did not see the setter during their first day of practice. Kageyama, whose life revolved around volleyball, was nowhere to be seen.

He had visited Kunimi’s class on the second day of school, the latter having informed him that Kageyama was in the same class. 

It was obvious the younger boy had changed since they last saw him. His presence seemed stronger, his shoulders were more relaxed, and the look in his eyes were softer as well. And he had piercings now, too, something Yuutarou would have never thought to associate with the blue-eyed boy.

More surprising was the relationship between him and Kyoutani-san. With the second-year wing spiker, Kageyama revealed a side to him that Yuutarou had never seen before. He was teasing and affectionate. He smiled and laughed. Even with their horrifying fights, it was apparent to anyone that they cared about each other.

Yuutarou had wondered on more than one occasion whether Kyoutani-san was the blue-eyed boy’s soulmate, but Kageyama already had two soulmates. He had seen the marks on his back every time they changed clothes for practice. The younger never talked about who they were, and none of them ever asked. 

Another thing he should have asked, should have talked to him about.

Yuutarou really should have talked to Kageyama more.

* * *

Yuutarou was terrified looking at the younger boy, who had collapsed at the door after slamming it open. His complexion was far too pale and his eyes far too dazed to be considered normal, and he was panting with every breath.

He could only stand there. “Tobio-chan…” he heard Oikawa-san call out. “What’s...What’s wrong with your leg?”

He noticed then that both Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san were clutching their legs in pain. Realization dawned on him in that instant: Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san were Kageyama’s soulmates. 

But, Yuutarou had never seen them interact outside of the volleyball club in junior high. In fact, they seemed to have deliberately ignored each other.

“I was in a car crash a few months ago,” the younger boy explained, his voice drawing Yuutarou out of his thoughts. Kageyama leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes, as though he had no energy to keep them open any longer. “Shattered my leg. I’m not supposed to run because of…” his hand swept over his left leg, “this.”

“Is-is that why you didn’t join the club?” Yuutarou blurted. 

“ _ Obviously _ ,” the younger boy snapped at him. “Is this really the fucking time to be asking this?”

He winced at the words, but his mind was in utter shock.

It made sense now why he said he could not. Kageyama really could not play volleyball. If running reduced him to this state, what would jumping do?

He only snapped out his thoughts when he saw Iwaizumi-san stand up in order to run to the gates. Yuutarou watched as a man dressed in a suit rushed towards them, eyes glimmering with fear and worry.

It was almost natural how the man crouched down and picked Kageyama up. And the boy accepted it easily, even wrapping his arms around the man’s neck and burying his head into the man’s shoulder. 

“I thought you knew not to run with your leg,” the man scolded him softly, expression worried.

“I didn’t really have a choice when drunkards sexually assaulted me,” Kageyama muttered, back turned towards them.

He saw the man tense at the words, arms tightening around the blue-eyed boy. Yuutarou saw Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi san tense as well. “Did they—” the man began.

“I kicked them in the groin before they could try anything.”

The man huffed, a small smile curving his lips. “Why am I not surprised?” The man then nodded at them as he said, “Thank you for taking care of Tobio-sama.”

And then the man turned around, walking towards the school gates. But Yuutarou managed to catch Kageyama’s question. “Do you think I’ll have to do physical therapy again?”

He looked incredibly fragile as he tightened his arms around the man’s neck, and his voice was so small that Yuutarou felt sorry for him.

“Don’t,” Oikawa-san said, giving him a sideways glance. The setter still had his gaze trained on the raven-haired boy that was now disappearing around the corner.

“Don’t what?” Yuutarou asked, confused.

“Don’t pity him,” Oikawa-san clarified.

“I wasn’t—”

“You were,” the captain interrupted, crossing his arms and shooting Yuutarou a hard stare. “Don’t pity him. Tobio-chan doesn’t pity himself, so you have no right to pity him.”

“I...I understand,” he conceded.

And he did. He understood that Kageyama, as prideful as he is, would not want anyone to pity him for something he could not control. So Yuutarou would not pity him.

Still, an image flashed in his mind of the younger boy being carried by that man. With his raven head buried into the crook of the man’s shoulder and arms around his neck, he could not help but think the blue-eyed boy looked like a child.

And as they resumed their practice after a barked order from Iwaizumi-san, he realized again that there were many things he did not know about Kageyama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Yuutarou is obviously very different from Kunimi. From the manga and anime, he seems very regretful with what had happened during junior high and I wanted this chapter to reflect that. 
> 
> And so they finally found out that Tooru and Hajime are Tobio's soulmates. None of them knew before, as stated by Yuutaro.
> 
> Also, I love Tooru at the end of this chapter. What he said was on point. Nobody has a right to pity anyone when that person doesn't pity themselves. I'm included it because Tooru has his own experience with an injury, so he definitely would know how Tobio feels (or felt).
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	57. Chapter Forty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re not a doctor, Tadaaki-san,” he argued, stressed as he watched the hand of the clock on the wall tick by. It was never good whenever the doctor took a long time. “You can’t just say it will be fine.”
> 
> “No,” the man admitted, a gentle smile curving his lips, “but you’re too stubborn to let it be anything but fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the easiest chapters for me to write so far, and probably one of my favorites.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

He loathed the hospital; he loathed the smell of disinfects that always stung his nose; he loathed the white walls that were always too perfect; most of all, he loathed the cloud of resignation that seemed to hang over patients and visitors alike.

Waiting for his results of his X-ray, Tobio could not help but fidget in place from where he currently sat on the hospital bed. Dread and fear shuddered through him every few moments, and he wished the doctor would come back in even a second sooner. 

He did not have much hope at the moment, considering the horrendous condition of his leg. It was swollen to a disturbing degree, the skin having turned an ugly combination of purple and blue and yellow. The only bright side was that there was no sign of any deformity.

“I’m sure it will be fine, Tobio,” Tadaaki-san reassured him, rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hand with a thumb. He sat in a chair directly beside the bed. “Injuries always look much worse than they are.”

“You’re not a doctor, Tadaaki-san,” he argued, stressed as he watched the hand of the clock on the wall tick by. It was never good whenever the doctor took a long time. “You can’t just say it will be fine.”

“No,” the man admitted, a gentle smile curving his lips, “but you’re too stubborn to let it be anything but fine.”

“You’re being rude again, Tadaaki-san,” he scowled, though the words did comfort him.

Tadaaki-san let out a rich chuckle, the sound smooth and deep. “I do try my best.”

The door to his private room slammed open then, and he heard one of the nurses scolding the intruder about the commotion. Said intruder only scowled and glared at the woman before marching to his side, stopping only to stand there awkwardly.

He almost laughed as his cousin tried to figure out what to do with his hands in order to not harm Tobio further. “You really shouldn’t be so loud in the hospital,” he told Kentarou. “It disturbs the other patients.”   
  


“I could care less about them,” was the reply, no remorse in the words whatsoever. “What happened?”

“We’re still waiting for the results of the X-ray, Kentarou-sama,” Tadaaki-san answered. “The doctor has been gone for twenty minutes now.”

“Where were you?” he asked his cousin. “You weren’t at practice today.”

“I was,” his cousin informed him. “I skipped extra practice because I was worried about you. I even went to your apartment, but you weren’t there.”

He swore that Kentarou inherited his psychic powers from Akihiro-san. How else could they know whenever he was feeling less than well, despite the fact that he had not told or seen them?

Nonetheless, he enjoyed the warm feeling that was slowly spreading through him.

“How did you get into my apartment?” he questioned, remembering that he had taken back the key he had given away. 

Kentarou snorted, rolling his eyes and smirking. “Did you really think the employees of the complex wouldn’t give me a key if I asked? Otou-san owns the building and I’m his son. Any reasonable person could connect the dots.”

“That’s an abuse of power,” he stated. 

“You’re overreacting. I only asked them and they gave it to me.”

A knock on the door signalled the doctor’s return, putting a stop to their current conversation. “Do you have a guardian with you, Kageyama-kun?” the doctor asked.

“I am one of his legal guardians,” Tadaaki-san stated.

Due to the nature of his aunt and uncle’s careers, there were many moments where they cannot fulfill their roles as his guardians. In order to resolve that, Tadaaki-san had been appointed as one of his guardians in sixth grade. 

He had called his aunt and uncle the moment he had arrived at the hospital, but both of them were currently swamped with work. Akihiro-san was making a contract deal today that was essential to one of his idol groups and Mizuki-san, who works as a fashion designer, has a deadline to meet. Both of them had panicked when he informed them what happened, and both of them told him they would settle everything as quickly as they could. Tobio was fully expecting a storm when they arrive.

“I have good news and bad news, “ the doctor said. “Which would you like to hear first?”   
  


“The good news,” Tobio decided.

The doctor nodded, pulling down the screen directly in front of him. An X-ray of his leg appeared, an apparent break in the tibia. “Considering your previous comminuted fracture. you were very lucky that you only suffered a non-displaced fracture this time, Kageyama-kun.”

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“It means that most of the bone remains intact, and that it remains in its normal position,” the doctor explained. “This means that the healing process will be much easier. Since you are accustomed to wearing a splint, I think it will be fine to do the same for this situation.”

“What’s the bad news?” Tobio questioned, already dreading it.

“I’m afraid you will have to undergo some physical therapy afterwards.”

His mood immediately worsened at the mention of physical therapy, all the memories of the previous month rushing back. 

“It will not be as bad as it was before,” the doctor assured him. “In fact, you can start slowly easing into physical therapy within only a few weeks. Because it is a non-displaced fracture, the recovery will be much less extensive.”

His cousin clapped him on the back, exclaiming, “That’s good news!”

He nodded mutely. 

“We can fit you into a splint immediately.”

♚♚♚

It was only after the splint was in place and he had returned to his private room did his aunt and uncle storm in. 

Mizuki-san had taken one look at his leg before she declared, “You’re living with us until your leg heals.” She had almost stomped over to the bed until she was directly beside him, reaching a hand out to caress his cheek. He leaned into the touch, reassured by the comfort it provided. 

It was an indisputable, resolute order that left no room for argument. Not that Tobio would have argued against it, considering it would be much easier to have someone help him with his leg out of order.

“Is it that serious?” Akihiro-san asked, hovering on his other side. It was a different, silent sort of reassurance and comfort.

Tadaak-san answered for him. “It’s a non-displaced fracture. The doctor said it should heal within two months, and that the physical therapy won’t be as extensive as before.”

Tobio would still have to visit the hospital every week to undergo rehabilitative procedures that encourage healing. He remembered that it was to manage swelling and circulation. It was to gently workout his leg and maintain the range of motion of his toes, ankles, knees, and hips.

“That’s good news,” his aunt encouraged him, knowing full well how much physical therapy had affected him.

“Yeah,” he muttered, a bit relieved that the process would be easier. “It is.”

“Cheer up, Tobio!” his cousin demanded. “You should be happy that I’ll be your slave again.”

Tobio burst into laughter, remembering how Kentarou had waited on him hand and foot the last time he had a broken leg. He felt light, the dread that had been weighing on his chest disappearing.

He had nothing to worry about with his family surrounding him.

He had gone through physical therapy before, he could sure as hell do it again. He would not allow otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It sucks that Tobio has to do physical therapy again, but it's necessary for fractures. You can be at peace knowing I won't be doing anything to this extent with Tobio anymore. He'll still have his difficulties with physical therapy, but nothing too bad.
> 
> I love Tobio's family. It's so heartwarming how obvious they care about Tobio and how Tobio cares about them. Definitely one of the highlights of this story, in my opinion.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I wanted it to be a bit more lighthearted after the last two.


	58. Chapter Forty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But it’s still dark!” he protested. The sky was still dim, not yet breaking dawn. “And I’ll be in an empty classroom by myself! Alone!” 
> 
> “So what?” his cousin asked, tilting his head in confusion. 
> 
> “It’s the perfect time for a ghost to come out!” he exclaimed. “What do I do if I get possessed?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the late update. I had so much homework that I couldn't find the time to write this chapter.
> 
> Anyways, this is a fun chapter so I hope you enjoy.

For all of his optimism at the hospital yesterday, he could not help but glare at both his crutches and leg as he woke up that morning. 

Although he was familiar with maneuvering his body in order to accommodate his leg, it did not mean he appreciated the dead weight and incovenience of the crutches. He hated the frustration of not being able to pick up or carry things. He hated how difficult they made walking up and down steps or stairs. He hated how he needed to ask for assistance simply opening or walking through a door. 

He nearly screamed when he had to change into his uniform, the pants obviously not designed for someone with a leg splint. Tobio eventually resorted to cutting it off at the knee. If the teachers even  _ tried  _ to lecture him about how that was not appropriate...To hell with the fucking dress code.

To make matters even worse, he had to wake up two hours early today. Because Kentarou was the one who would be assisting him to and from school, he had to adjust his sleep schedule to accommodate his cousin’s morning practice. It was too early to deal with this at 4:30 in the morning.

“I fucking loathe this,” he snarled as they walked to school. Well, Kentarou was walking while he was hobbling. 

“We’re almost there,” his cousin reassured him, carrying both of their school bags.

Kentarou had been keeping an extremely careful eye on him during the short journey to school, looking for any loose stones on the sidewalk and flinching every time he appeared to be losing balance. It might have amused, might have even caused him to crack a smile, if he was not dealing with the task of having to re-familiarize himself with using crutches.

“I don’t understand why I can’t just hop to school,” he grumbled. “It’s much easier than using these…” Tobio could not think of a word to describe the frustration and inconvenience that he associated with crutches.

“Because if you lose your balance and fall, it would fuck up your leg worse than it already is,” his cousin explained dryly. 

Both of them rounded the corner and were met with the sight of the school gate. “Finally,” he groaned.

“Let’s get you to class so that you can sit down,” his cousin said as they entered the school grounds.

Without thinking he let go of the crutch in his left hand to grab Kentarou’s shirt. “Huh?” he panicked, almost falling on his cousin.

“Careful!” his cousin yelled, gripping him by the shoulders to steady him. “What are you going to do if you land on your leg!”   
  


“Why are you taking me to my class?” he asked, ignoring the warning.

Kentarou only released him once he was balanced on his crutches again. “You need to sit down before your leg starts swelling,” the older boy explained as though it were obvious.

“But it’s still dark!” he protested. The sky was still dim, not yet breaking dawn. “And I’ll be in an empty classroom by myself! Alone!” 

“So what?” his cousin asked, tilting his head in confusion. 

“It’s the perfect time for a ghost to come out!” he exclaimed. “What do I do if I get possessed?”

Tadaaki-san specifically told him that schools were a common place for ghosts to haunt too. His attendant said that they took advantage of people who were weakened and alone, and that the chances of getting possessed increased when it was dark outside. If he went into a classroom now, when he met all of those criteria, who knows what will happen to his spirit?

“Are you kidding me?” his cousin questioned, staring at him like he was dumb. “Ghosts aren’t real!”

“You believe in ghosts, Kageyama?” Kunimi asked as he entered through the school gates. There was an incredulous tone to his voice that had told Tobio that the volleyball player thought he was dumb as well.

“They’re real!” he cried out, as both Kunimi and Kindaichi came around until they were standing in front of him. 

“You’re joking, right?” Kindaichi asked him, his expression one of disbelief.

“They’re real,” he insisted. “Not to mention that witching hour ended barely an hour ago. Ghosts will be everywhere inside the school, lingering in the halls and classrooms!”

“Stop being an idiot!” his cousin told him.

“I’m not! And Tadaaki-san said that people who have had a near-death experience are more prone to possession. If you make me go into a dark, empty classroom by myself, my spirit will be taken by a ghost,” he yelled. 

“You’re insane,” Kindaichi breathed.

“I’m not!” 

“There’s nowhere for you to sit in the gym,” his cousin told him.

“I’ll sit on the balcony!”

“You’ll have to climb the stairs or a ladder, both of which will be difficult with your crutches.”

“Kentarou!” he whined, terrified at the thought of being possessed.

“Ghosts. Are. Not. Real,” Kentarou told him for the third time.

“I don’t know about that, Kyoutani,” Mattsun-san drawled, coming around so that the third-year was talking face-to-face with them as well. Along with his arrival was the arrival of Makki-san and his soulmates as well. “There’s no evidence that they aren’t.”

“See?”

“Why are the four of you discussing the existence of ghosts in the middle of the school courtyard anyways?” Oikawa-san asked. 

“Because Tobio refuses to go sit in his class,” Kentarou said, exasperation dripping from his voice.

“I’ll be possessed!”   
  


“You need to elevate your leg!”

“Just have him sit in the corner of the gym,” Makki-san suggested.

“A ball could come flying his way,” his cousin stated.

“It won’t,” Iwaizumi-san assured the older boy. “The coaches usually stand in that corner because volleyballs rarely come flying that way.”

“I can sit in the gym then, right?” Tobio asked his cousin. “I can use our bags to elevate my leg, too.”

“We can grab you some pillows from the infirmary, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said.

At those words, he looked towards his cousin with pleading eyes. “I can, right?”

Kentarou, who had always been weak when he pulled puppy eyes, let out an exasperated, resigned sigh. “Fine,” he relented.

“Great!” he beamed, unable to help the smile that bloomed across his face. “I won’t be possessed by ghosts now.”

His cousin narrowed his eyes as they headed into the gym. “Tadaaki brainwashed you. I knew I shouldn’t have let that geezer near you when we were younger.”

“Tadaaki-san is only thirty-six, you know,” he told his cousin. “He’s younger than Akihiro-san and Mizuki-san.”

“I don’t care. A geezer is a geezer.”

  
  
“You’re just upset that he taught me about ghosts.”

“They aren’t real!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I am really sorry for the late update! I had three tests and three hours worth of homework. I don't know about you guys, but I'm already anticipating winter break. ONLY TWO MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL (for me).
> 
> I was going to make this more of a dark chapter since Tobio has to refamiliarize himself with crutches, but then it turned into an argument about whether or not ghosts exist. It was the best mistake, in my opinion, because this turned into a pretty fun chapter.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it.


	59. Chapter Fifty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Like you’re any better, Kentarou,” Tobio sneered. “Your serves are absolute shit and you can’t even set for the life of you.”
> 
> “Cram it before I spike the ball at you,” Kentarou snarled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved, loved, loved this chapter. It so calm and down to earth that I found it really relaxing to write.
> 
> Have fun reading.

“Is two enough, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked, placing two white pillows beside his left leg.

He was laying on the ground, his head propped on his school bag and his crutches resting against the wall. It might not have been the most ideal location, but he was positive that anything was better than getting possessed by a ghost. And in this position, it was easier to keep his leg straight and elevated above his heart.

“Two is plenty,” he told the setter. A strange feeling prickled his chest watching the older boy gently place his leg on the stacked pillows. It was not exactly pleasant, but he could not say it was unpleasant either. Not knowing what to do, he could only mutter out an awkward, “...Thank you, Oikawa-san.”

The brown-haired upperclassman was crouched beside his head now, head hovering slightly over his own. “Like I said before, you don’t need to thank me, Tobio-chan.”

“It’s polite,” he stated, ignoring the reminder of their previous conversation in the infirmary. Tobio had done his absolute best to not dwell on it, but his mind occasionally wandered back, pointing out how it had been the first time the older had called him his soulmate.

A bitter smile curved itself onto the setter’s lips. “I don’t think I’ve done anything to deserve politeness from you.”

“No. You haven’t,” he agreed, causing the other to gape.

“Don’t agree so easily, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san whined. 

He snorted. “If you didn’t want me to agree, you shouldn’t have said it.”

“At least deny it a little bit!”

“No way.”

“So mean! You’ve become cheeky, Tobio-chan.”

“And you’ve become even more immature since junior high, Oikawa-san,” he returned, lips twitching with amusement at the affronted gasp that escaped the setter. He almost smiled. Almost.

“Oi, Captain,” Mattsun-san called, waving his hand from the other side of the gym. “Stop flirting and start helping us set up the nets!”

A soft blush colored the brown-haired upperclassman’s cheeks at the comment, making the Oikawa-san stutter, “I-I wasn’t flirting! I was only talking to Tobio-chan!”

“You should start helping, Oikawa-san,” Tobio told him. “A captain needs to set a good example for his team.”

“I know that,” Oikawa-san said, somewhere between a whine and a statement. 

“Then why are you still here?”

“Geez,” the older boy huffed. “I’m leaving, I’m leaving.”

Once he saw the setter stand, Tobio turned his head to look at the court. It was strangely empty for the amount of players Seijoh has. There were only about twelve people present at the moment.

“Hey, Kindaichi,” he asked the other boy as he came around with a trolley of volleyballs, “why is there barely anyone here?”

“Regular players are required to practice an hour earlier than everyone else,” the wing spiker explained. “Inter-High is only two months away, so we need all the practice we can get.”

“Is that so?’ he mumbled. 

He had forgotten about the tournament since he had been concentrating his attention on his piano competition. If Inter-High was only two months away, then that meant it has been about nine months since the first time he broke his leg. About ten months since he had been abandoned on the court. 

Tobio wondered why it feels much longer. Humming, he asked Kindaichi, “Is Kentarou a starting player then?”

“Ah...well…” Kindaichi scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile stretching his mouth. “Kyoutani-san is...unpredictable, so the coaches don’t usually put him in for matches. At least that’s what I’ve been told by the upperclassmen.”

“Unpredictable is an understatement, don’t you think? I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten suspended from the team yet.”

His cousin’s wild nature and short temper extended to volleyball, to the insanely powerful spikes and thundering serves. It was what earned him more than a few unsavory comments from his previous teammates, and Kentarou had never been one to let an insult pass willingly. It did not surprise him that the coaches did not want to risk that temper rampaging on the court, in the middle of a match.

It was really a shame though, because his cousin was truly a talented player. The older boy had developed a passion for the sport far sooner than Tobio had as well, and it burned brightly still.

“Well...I was told that he was suspended last year for picking a fight with a third-year,” Kindaichi said.

Tobio could not help the barked laughter that escaped his lips. “Why am I not surprised?” he drawled. “He probably told the upperclassman his spikes sucked or something, and when the upperclassman couldn’t tolerate it, he probab;y punch the guy.”

“Woah,” the libero exclaimed. “That’s exactly what happened!”

He snickered at the sight of cousin scowling, eyes glaring in his direction before he said, “It’s not my fault they played like shit.”

“Like you’re any better, Kentarou,” Tobio sneered. “Your serves are absolute shit and you can’t even set for the life of you.”

“Cram it before I spike the ball at you,” Kentarou snarled.

He pointed to his left leg, his  _ very _ injured left leg. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to refrain from doing so. Otherwise, Mizuki-san will be down your throat if she ever finds out.”

“I’m not afraid of her.”

Tobio gaped at him, eyes wide in disbelief. “Don’t spout bullshit,” he breathed. “If she hears you saying that, you’re a dead man walking.”

“Are you going to tell her?” his cousin asked, a tinge of fear coating his voice.

He hummed, scrolling through his phone for a game to play and settling on Terraria. Eventually, he drawled, “If you get on your knees and beg, I won’t.”

“Sadistic bastard.” Tobio could hear the scowl in his words.

“You love me,” he stated.

He only received a muttered, “Brat,” in response.

A small smile touched his lips at the older boy’s inability to deny the fact. Both he and Kentarou had been raised to be honest to a fault, something that caused them trouble more often than not. And with their lack of social skills, their bluntness was easily interpreted as rude and arrogant, despite whether they meant to be or not. 

Well, Tobio thought it was not such a bad thing the majority of the time. Especially in cases like this. 

“Don’t worry,” he reassured his cousin. His character in Terraria had just cut down a tree and he was currently making an axe from the wood he had gathered. “I love you, too.”

Their practice started not soon after, the sound of volleyballs thudding and slamming into the ground echoing in his ears as he played his game.

When he looked to glance at the players, he thought that both Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san were hitting the ball much harder than they normally would. The captains had a dark look in their eyes and an intense air surrounding them—the same intensity he often saw from them during official games. 

It was unusual that they were so serious during a practice session, but who was Tobio to judge them for their passion to improve?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help it...I'm a sucker for IwaOi jealousy. And the fact that Tobio said it so casually...I love everything about this chapter.
> 
> One of the things I liked most about writing this chapter was the interaction between Tobio and Tooru at the beginning. It really shows how, although Tobio isn't exactly comfortable around his soulmates yet, he isn't outright ignoring them anymore. This is what I call progress. I would like to think that the pacing of this story so far doesn't make it seem rushed, and that this was like the perfect time for it.
> 
> I also included more interactions with Yuutarou and Tobio, because I spent over forty chapter with them barely interacting at all.
> 
> I have said it once and I will say it again: Tobio and Kentarou are absolutely precious together. I love writing their relationship, a relationship I would like to think is a very realistic balance of being absolute shits to each other and caring for each other. I always wanted to see a fanfic about them as friends or siblings because they are so similar that it just makes sense.
> 
> Anyway, I had a lot to say about this chapter because I liked it so much. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.
> 
> P.S. I realized that I had everyone else's perspective as their first name besides Akira/Kunimi. Therefore, I will be replacing every Kunimi in that chapter with Akira.


	60. Chapter Fifty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why the hell would you agree to that?” Kentarou demanded, fuming.
> 
> “It’s not exactly a problem, is it?” he said, playing a few keys to test the tuning of the strings. “Besides, I owed Mattsun-san a favor anyways.”
> 
> “You can’t just decide to let them come to the house!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not only having one update today. I had to write a summative essay that took me five hours and then I couldn't think about how to write this chapter. Don't worry though, this chapter isn't a rushed update. It is totally worth the time it took to write it.
> 
> Have fun.

“I’ll kill you,” his cousin stated. Kentarou had a venomous glare and his scowl was etched much deeper than usual. “I mean it. I’ll murder you.”

He spared his cousin only a single sideways glance before returning his attention back to the piano. He had asked his uncle to bring it upstairs, having been hidden away in their basement for years now, so that he could practice. Tobio was pleased to see that it was still in perfect condition despite years of dust gathering and neglect.

“Why the hell would you agree to that?” Kentarou demanded, fuming.

“It’s not exactly a problem, is it?” he said, playing a few keys to test the tuning of the strings. “Besides, I owed Mattsun-san a favor anyways.”

“You can’t just decide to let them come to the house!”

Four days after the first time he began waiting for school by laying in the corner of the gym, the third-years began discussing how they needed a gathering place for some team bonding. He could not really understand the appeal of it and wondered why something like that was necessary. However, it was not his place to question the decisions of the captain and coaches, considering he was neither a member of the team nor a volleyball player anymore.

_ “We could all stay over at Oikawa’s place again like always,” Makki-san had proposed.  _

_ Oikawa-san shook his head at that, a small frown forming on his lips. “Takeru and my sister are staying over this week. We won’t be able to do anything without the brat disturbing us.” _

_ Iwaizumi-san slapped him on the back of the head at the remark. “You should be nicer to your nephew, Shittykawa.” _

_ “That hurt, Iwa-chan,” the setter complained, gingerly rubbing the area that was hit. “And I don’t need to be nice when Takeru calls me annoying every time we meet.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “You are annoying, though,” Mattsun-san pointed out.  _

_ “And a brat,” Makki-san supplied. _

_ “Not to mention a pain in the ass,” Iwaizumi-san added. _

_ Tobio had not been able to help his snort of amusement. It was not as though they said anything incorrect. “See? Even Tobio-chan agrees,” Makki-san said. _

_ ““We were talking about the location for team bonding,” Oikawa-san exclaimed, a whining tone in voice. “Why did it turn into all of you insulting me?” _

_ “We should just settle on Iwaizumi’s house,” Mattsun-san suggested. _

_ “That’s not possible,” the ace declined. “We’re doing some reconstruction right now.” _ __   
  


_ “Well, both of our houses are too small,” Makki-san stated, referring to him and Mattsun-san.  _

_ “Why can’t you just use Kentarou’s house?” Tobio asked, killing a blue slime in Terraria. “Or is there some sort of rule that only the homes of third-years can be used?”  _

_ When none of them said anything, he turned to look at the four third-years who were now staring at him. All of them were looking at him like he was stupid. _

_ “What?” he demanded, offended by their expressions. _

_ “This is Kyouken-chan we’re talking about, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san drawled. “I doubt he’ll let us use his home.” _

_ “Mizuki-san would be fine with it, though,” Tobio stated, turning his attention back to his game. He frowned when he saw a blood zombie attacking him.  _

_ “Mizuki-san?” Iwaizumi-san questioned. _

_ “Kentarou’s mother,” he clarified, defending himself against the wave of monsters coming his way. “As long as she agrees, Kentarou can’t say anything against it.” _

_ His cousin was not  _ that _ stupid. _

_ “It’s not like we can ask his mother, though,” Mattsun-san said. _

_ “I can do it,” he volunteered. Tobio was tapping his thumb furiously against his screen as monsters kept coming. He really should have built himself a home.  _

_ “Won’t Kyoutani be mad at you?” Makki-san asked. _

_ “Like I care,” was his answer. His furious tapping eased as it began to turn to daytime. “I owe Mattsun-san a favor, anyways.” _

He had gotten around to asking Mizuki-san this morning, to which she enthusiastically agreed. His aunt seemed relieved that both he and Kentarou actually had people to invite over, considering neither of them ever had many friends to speak of. 

It was also convenient timing, too. Both she and Akihiro would be gone that weekend, allowing the volleyball club regulars to stay without being bothered by adults. 

Kentarou had found out during practice that afternoon, and only came around to interrogate him about it now.

“I can’t believe you actually invited them to our home,” his cousin snarled. “Now they’ll know where I live!”

“It’s not like they’re psychopaths, Kentarou,” he told the older boy dryly. His fingers danced across the piano as he warmed up with some trills and arpeggios. “And even if they are, we’re rich. They won’t be able to get away with it if they try anything.”

“That’s not the point!”

“What’s the problem?” he asked his cousin, turning to fully face the other boy. “Lending them the house for this team bonding thing will help improve their impression of you.”

“I don’t care what they think of me,” Kentarou retorted. 

“But it will affect whether you’ll be put in games,” Tobio stated. “If they think better of you, it will be easier for you.”

His cousin could not deny the fact, causing him to narrow his eyes in frustration. Scowling, he let out a resigned sigh. “Fine,” he muttered,

“Great,” he said, turning back to the piano, “because I need to start practicing.”

“It’s nearly ten,” his cousin stated.

“And?”

“And I don’t want to be kept up all night because of your playing.”

“It’s fine. I’ll play a lullaby for you.”

“Tobio,” his cousin drawled.

“...”

“ _ Tobio _ ,” Kentarou repeated.

He groaned. “Fine!” he exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. “I’ll go to sleep.”

♚♚♚

Tobio woke up to an incessant commotion outside his bedroom door. Scowling, he tried to cover his ears with a pillow to block out the noise. He even pulled his blanket over his head to build another barrier, but was to no avail.

He had moved to a room on the ground floor in order to ease the burden of having to go upstairs with crutches. For the noise to be reaching him so clearly, it must be coming from the living room, which was directly outside of his bedroom.

_ Why the hell was it so loud? _

Rolling out of leg, he balanced himself on his right foot as he hopped to the door. He slammed it open, shooting a withering glare at whatever source of noise was interrupting his sleep.

“Shut the fuck—” he growled, stopping when he register the many people staring at him.

Mattsun-san and Makki-san let out a low whistle at the sight of him while Kentarou barked at him, “Put on a shirt!”

“Why are there so many people here?” he asked, squinting in an effort to clear his vision. 

“You’re the reason they’re here in the first place,” his cousin yelled. “At least have the decency of remembering!”

“Was that today?” he questions, rubbing his eyes and still balancing on his right leg, a hand on his doorknob to steady himself. 

“ _ Yes _ ,” his cousin answered pointedly. “Now, put on a shirt.”

He ignored the order, asking instead, “Why are they here so early? I’m trying to sleep.”

“It’s  _ twelve _ .”

“What’s your point?”

“Just put on a shirt, damnit!”

“Alright, alright,” Tobio said, shutting his door and going to his closet to search for a shirt.

After what happened in junior high, he had been plagued by nightmares. He hated waking up to his shirt sticking to his chest because of sweat, so he had developed a habit of going to sleep shirtless. He had yet to be able to get rid of the habit.

He eventually settled on a plain white T-shirt before opening his door again. A single crutch in his left leg, he used it to steady himself as he hopped to the kitchen for some breakfast...lunch...he did not really care what to call it so long as he could get some food in his stomach.

“Where are your pants?” his cousin asked—Tobio was only wearing his boxers.

“You trying putting on pants with this thing,” he told the older boy, pointing at his splint.

He opened the fridge to get some milk, but suddenly realized the living room had grown eerily quiet. He turned his head to see almost every one of the regulars staring at him.

“What?” he demanded, leaning on the refrigerator as he opened his carton.

“Why are you here, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked. A shudder ran down his spine at the upperclassman’s smile, which was anything but friendly. There was a sharp edge to it that spoke of danger.

He immediately went on the defensive. “Am I not allowed to be here?” It was his house, so Tobio could not really understand the question.

The setter’s smile only tightened. 

Figuring it was better to ignore whatever that was, he dug through the refrigerator again for some leftovers to microwave. When the timer beeped, he took out the plate 

of food and hopped into the living room, where every player was sitting on a couch.

Seeing that there was no room on bigger ones, he chose a reclining couch meant for a single person. Tobio placed his plate on the coffee table as he sat down, taking a sip out of his carton of milk.

It was Kindaichi who asked, “Are you and Kyoutani-san dating, Kageyama?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMAGINE THE SIMPING!! Tobio shirtless and only in boxers, and then him walking around with only a shirt and boxers...Tooru and Hajime are DYING!!
> 
> I thought it was about time for it to be revealed, considering its been fifty chapters already. This misunderstanding needed to be cleared up now so that the story could move along more. I originally intended to have one or two more chapter before this, but then I couldn't think of anything with enough substance. 
> 
> As much as I love jealous IwaOi, I figured it was about time for something other than jealousy (not that there won't be more of that in future chapters). I also though I should spare them a bit after fifty chapters of crap (they deserved it though). Their relationship with Tobio will definitely progress once the relationship is cleared up.
> 
> Did you like the cliffhanger? I was smiling the entire time I was writing this chapter because I can imagine exactly what was going to happen after the question. 
> 
> P.S. Mattsun and Makki whistling at Tobio is just so funny, I don't know why.


	61. Chapter Fifty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What…” he dissolved into another fit of laughter, “...what’s the matter, darling?” he asked his cousin, laughing even harder at the look of pure disgust on the older boy’s face.
> 
> It only made him laugh harder as he rested his forehead on the arm of the couch, trying desperately to cease the sounds of amusement coming from his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little late with the update, but it was totally worth it. This is a pretty dialogue-heavy chapter.
> 
> Have fun.

“Are you and Kyoutani-san dating, Kageyama?”

He choked on his milk, dissolving into a fit of coughing that brought tears to his eyes. Through his blurry vision, he could see his cousin grab Kindaichi by the collar of his shirt.

“Um…Are you okay?” the libero asked him, the second-year crouching down in front of him with a worried expression.

“I’m...fine,” he managed to get out.

“The hell did you just say?” Kentarou snarled, looking murderous enough that he thought the older boy was really going to punch the wing spiker.

Tobio could not help it—he  _ howled _ . The burst of laughter escaped from his lips like water from a broken dam. He was laughing so hard that his stomach began cramping.

“I’ll fucking kill you,” Kentarou warned, the grip on Kindaichi’s collar tightening as his cousin glared at him. “I’ll fucking murder you.”

“What…” he dissolved into another fit of laughter, “...what’s the matter,  _ darling _ ?” he asked his cousin, laughing even harder at the look of pure disgust on the older boy’s face.

It only made him laugh harder as he rested his forehead on the arm of the couch, trying desperately to cease the sounds of amusement coming from his mouth.

They actually thought he was dating Kentarou? Is that what all their bickering looked like?

“Fucking hell,” he wheezed. “This is fucking hilarious.”

“Look here, you fucking asshole,” Kentarou hissed at Kindaichi, pulling the younger boy so close that their nose were almost touching. “I am  _ not _ dating that sadistic bastard.”

“Don’t be shy, dear,” Tobio crooned, relishing the withering glare the older boy shot him.

“You are  _ not _ helping,” his cousin hissed.

“You don’t have to hide our relationship from them,” was his reply.

Every one of the regulars were staring at their exchange, some with an obvious expression of confusion and others with amusement. Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san, however, seemed to have dark looks in their eyes.

Figuring that the two captains did not appreciate the thought of Kentarou threatening their wing spiker, he began to sober up to diffuse the situation.

“Listen here, Kindaichi,” Tobio told the other first-year, straightening himself on the couch. A smile stretched his mouth ear-to-ear.“Me,” he pointed at him, “and him,” he pointed at his cousin, “are cousins.”

“Huh?” the wing spiker asked, grunting when his cousin threw him back onto the couch he had been sitting on.

“We’re cousins,” he repeated. “ _ Cou-sins _ .”

Both Makki-san and Mattsun-san burst into laughter, doubling over each other. For some reason, his soulmates flushed completely red, to the point that they looked like tomatoes.

“Then, that room you came out of…” Kunimi began.

“It’s my room,” Tobio confirmed. “What did you think…”

Kunimi flushed, averting his eyes as realization dawned on Tobio what he—what everyone thought. Disgust curled in the pit of his stomach as he gagged.

“That’s fucking gross,” he snarled, holding a hand against his mouth to keep from vomiting. “I’m gonna be fucking sick.”

“You said you were living by yourself!” Kunimi defended.

“I moved back in because of my leg!” Tobio exclaimed.

“So you and Kyoutani are cousins, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san said slowly.

“ _ Yes. _ ” He glared at his plate of food that was placed on the coffee table, suddenly losing his appetite.

“Isn’t that great, Captain?” Mattsun-san cackled, clapping the setter on the back. “It was all just your misunderstanding.”

“Sh-shut up!” Oikawa-san ordered, flushing even deeper if it were possible.

“It’s fine to be embarrassed, Oikawa.” Makki-san assumed a sympathetic and pitying expression. “Your dignity is still intact, so you don’t have to worry.”

The setter narrowed his eyes in a pointed glare, the warning in them evident. It only made the other third-year laugh, which caused Oikawa-san brow to twitch with annoyance.

Turning his attention away from the upperclassman, he returned his focus back to Kentarou, who was seated on a couch with a few other second-years. The older boy was still scowling and glaring at Kindaichi for the younger’s question. As a result, there were obvious expressions of discomfort on the players seated next to him. 

Sighing, Tobio lamented his cousin’s inability to understand social cues—he was not able to either, but he was better than Kentarou. Figuring he should spare the people beside the older boy, he stood up and picked up his plate of food. Balancing on one leg, he hopped over until he was standing in front of his cousin.

Holding the plate in front of his cousin, he ordered, “Eat this for me.”

Kentarou stared at him like he was dumb. “Why the hell should I?”   
  


“Because I don’t want it,” Tobio explained, “and it will go bad if it’s microwaved again.”

“You eat it!”

“I lost my appetite.”   
  


“That’s not my problem!”

“What’s your point?” he asked.

Kentarou gaped at him. “Do you not hear yourself?”   
  


Tobio tilted his head to the side, questioning him with a look he knew his cousin was weak to. “You won’t?” he pouted.

His cousin groaned, rubbing his temples with his thumb and index fingers. “You’re the devil,” the older boy muttered, accepting the held out plate with resignation.

“I’m an angel,” he said shamelessly, hopping back to his couch.

“Arrogant is what you are,” Kentarou stated, shoving a piece of pork cutlet into his mouth. “You were spoiled too much growing up.”

Tobio snorted, pulling out his phone and opening up Terraria. He had become a bit obsessed with the game in recent days. “You say that as though you didn’t spoil me the most.”

Kentarou indulged every single one of his whims when they were children. The older boy always gave him his snacks despite practically snarling whenever Mizuki-san or Akihiro-san even tried to touch them. He would even go with Tobio to piano concerts despite absolutely abhorring them.

It made him overjoyed every time he was spoiled by Kentarou. Even now, his cousin still spoiled him and it never failed to bring a warm feeling to his heart whenever he did.

Tobio was pleased to see that with the addition of food in his stomach, his cousin’s scowl and glare had eased to the point that he was sort of approachable. In fact, a few of the second-years had been comfortable enough now to gather the courage to talk to Kentarou.

It was amusing to hear his cousin’s clipped replies and answers, but it was a good sign that the older boy was actually talking to his teammates. Maybe now, their impression of him will improve at least somewhat.

Kentarou might not care what they thought about him, but Tobio did. It annoyed him how many people assumed his cousin was aggressive and scary without knowing anything about him. 

His cousin spoiled him growing up, he made Tobio feel cared for and loved. He did not want people thinking so badly of Kentarou.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio making the situation worse while Kentarou is literally threatening both him and Kindaichi was hilarious to write. I love the fact that Tobio wasn't helping at all and was only laughing. 
> 
> Kentarou and Tobio at the end was everything. Period.
> 
> Also, next chapter will be Tooru's perspective. Look forward to it (there will be the shirtless scene).


	62. Chapter Fifty-Two: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, you two alright,” Mattsun asked when they remained silent.
> 
> Tooru was not alright in the least. He was the complete opposite of alright as the image of his soulmate practically naked burned itself into his mind. He was not alright. He was absolutely dying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This my longest chapter yet. It's the same length as two chapters combined and I had to rewrite it halfway through.
> 
> Totally worth it though, so hope you enjoy.

Tooru had no idea how he felt about staying over at Kyoutani’s house for the weekend. He was grateful that the second-year allowed them to use his home for the purpose of some team bonding, but he was also slightly resentful of the fact that he was in the home of someone who was supposedly in a relationship with his soulmate.

It did not help that Tobio-chan had been the one to ask the spiker’s mother for permission to use the house; because that meant that his younger soulmate and Kyoutani were close enough that the blue-eyed boy had met and had developed a good relationship with the second-year’s parents. 

A sick, twisted feeling clawed his chest at the thought, coating his tongue with a bitter taste.

“Stop scowling, Shittykawa,” Hajime ordered him as they walked to the directions that had been sent to them by the second-year. “Kyoutani was nice enough to let us use his house.”

“But Iwa-chan,” he whined. “Don’t you think he and Tobio-chan are too close to be considered normal friends?”

His soulmate remained silent at that, unable to deny it. He might have been the one to express his jealousy more outwardly, but he knew Hajime was just as jealous—if not more—of Kyoutani.

“It’s not like we can do anything about it,” Hajime said eventually. “We were the ones who rejected Kageyama. We have no right to interfere with who he chooses to date.”

“We don’t know they’re dating,” Tooru pointed out, his tone a little pathetic. Even he himself did not believe those words.

“They were sleeping together, Tooru,” his soulmate stated, a pained expression morphing his features. “If that’s not dating, then I don't know what to make of it.”

Tooru took his hand in his own and squeezed, hating how heartbroken the other boy looked at the moment. A lot of people always assumed that Hajime was the one who supported him emotionally, but they failed to see how sensitive his soulmate could be. The spiky-haired often dwelled too much on his own mistakes and had a tendency to blame himself for things that were not his fault whatsoever.

Them rejecting Tobio-chan was Tooru’s fault. He had been caught up with his own insecurities and flaws and he made Hajime destroy what could have been a relationship with their soulmate in the process.

Forcing a bright smile to curve his lips, he told the other boy, “Cheer up, Iwa-chan! We’ll find a way to make it work out.”   
  


Hajime made an unconvinced noise, but reciprocated the kiss he placed on the other boy’s lips nonetheless. It was a soft touch that was meant to reassure each other that everything would be fine.

He really hoped that was true.

♔♔♔

When they finally arrived at Kyoutani’s house, both of them were questioning whether they had received the wrong directions.

Situated in front of them was what was essentially a small mansion. It was a two-stories high, western-styled home with contemporary architecture. Glass panels decorated the upper floor, allowing him glimpses into the expensive-looking interior. Several luxury cars were parked in the drive-through and Tooru could catch a glimpse of a swimming pool in the backyard. Everything about it screamed rich.

“Iwa-chan, are we sure we got the right house?” he breathed. “You didn’t just get the wrong address, right?”

“Uh-huh…” was the shaky reply.

Both of them were dubious as they walked up to the porch, hesitantly ringing the doorbell. There was no way Kyoutani lived here...right?

Wrong, because only a few seconds later, Kyoutani in his bleached hair and scowling glory opened the door. 

“Are you just going to stand there?” the second-year asked, glaring when they did not move to enter.

“Is...is this really your house, Kyoutani?” Hajime breathed, utter shock and disbelief in his expression and flowing through their bond.

“What else would it be?” the younger boy snapped.

They eventually entered the house, removing their shoes, and muttering “Sorry for the intrusion,” in a daze. When they entered the living room, they were met with the sight of the other regulars sitting on various couches.

“You alright, Captains?” Mattsun-san asked, smirking at the awe expressions on their faces.

“Just put your bags in this closet,” Kyoutani grunted, opening a small room. 

He let Hajime take his bag, which contained everything he needed for an overnight stay, as he sat down beside the other third-years. “Did you guys know Kyouken-chan was rich?” he questioned, eyes still wide with awe.

“No,” everyone denied. 

“Maybe you should stop teasing him so much,” Mattsun suggested, eating one of the chips from the bowl on the coffee table. “Otherwise, you might find yourself dead in an alleyway one day.”

“That’s not funny, Mattsun!” he cried, horrified at the idea.

“At least there will be one less annoyance in the world,” Makki stated. “It will spare us the headache.”

“Makki,” he whined.

“It’s not like he said anything wrong, Shittykawa,” Hajime said as the ace sat down beside him.

“All of you are so mean!”

Both the second-years and first-years burst into laughter at his misery, causing him to wallow in his own self-pity. Honestly, all of his teammates treated him horribly.

He was just about to yell at them to be quiet when a door slammed open from behind him. Tooru turned to see who it was...only to freeze with his mouth hanging open.

“Shut the fuck—” Tobio-chan began, stopping in as he took in the scene.

Vaguely, he heard Mattsun and Makki whistling at the sight before them. His younger soulmate was also talking about something with Kyoutani. Tooru, however, registered none of that. No, all he registered was the fact that his soulmate was wearing nothing but boxers.

From the angle he was seated at, he could make out the perfectly toned muscles of the blue-eyed boy’s stomach and legs. His pale, ivory skin seemed to glisten from the sunlight streaming through the windows, casting shadows that perfectly accentuated his slender waist. Tobio-chan’s raven hair was tousled from sleeping in a way that only enhanced his beauty.

And his piercings, something Tooru had only seen a total of four times, somehow made him seem all the more sexier. 

He was still staring at the place his soulmate had been standing at, only snapping out his daze when he noticed that Hajime had been gripping his arm. Only then did he realize the flurry of emotions through their bond that told him that the wing spiker had been just as dazed by their soulmate as he was.

“Hey, you two alright,” Mattsun asked when they remained silent.

Tooru was not alright in the least. He was the complete opposite of alright as the image of his soulmate practically naked burned itself into his mind. He was not  _ alright _ . He was absolutely dying.

“Flies will get in your mouth soon,” Makki warned.

They still said nothing when their soulmate came out again, this time in a loose white T-shirt. It did little to improve their entranced state, considering the shirt was oversized to the point that it reached his mid-thigh, giving the illusion that he was wearing nothing beneath.

Tooru whimpered— _ whimpered _ . Hajime was not doing much better, the ace having never taken his eyes off the blue-eyed boy once since he came out.

As much as he appreciated the sight of his soulmate half-naked, it did not escape him that the younger boy had been practically naked in the first place. In Kyoutani’s house nonetheless.

“What?” he heard Tobio-chan demand.

“Why are you here, Tobio-chan?” Tooru asked, unable to help the sharpness of his smile.

“Am I not allowed to be here?” was the answer he received. 

It did nothing to ease the jealousy surging through him in waves as his soulmate sat down on a couch, taking a sip of his milk and setting a plate of food on the coffee table.

“Are you and Kyoutani-san dating, Kageyama?” Kindaichi suddenly asked.

Both Tooru and Hajime froze at the question, dreaded the answer that was to come.

But Tobio-chan started coughing and Kyoutani had the first-year wing spiker by the collar. “The hell did you just say?” the second-year snarled, looking positively murderous.

And then their soulmate started laughing, a pure, bright sound that was so melodic that Tooru and Hajime could not help but listen to it. They could not help but stare as his face glowed with laughter and smile stretched his lips, eyes crinkling at the corner endearingly.

“I’ll fucking kill you,” Kyoutani threatened their soulmate, his grip on Kindiachi tightening“I’ll fucking murder you.”

“What…” Tobio-chan gasped for breath, “...what’s the matter,  _ darling _ ?”

His mood soured instantly at the endearment, but confusion ran through. He was clueless as to why Tobio-chan was laughing and why Kyoutani looked like he was going to throw up any minute now. 

“Fucking hell,” his soulmate wheezed. “This is fucking hilarious.”

He was still confused, but the endearment continued to ring through his head. Bitterness coated his tongue.

“Look here, you fucking asshole,” Kyoutani snarled at Kindaichi. “I am  _ not _ dating that sadistic bastard.”

“Don’t be shy, dear,” Tobio-chan purred, the endearment silky on his tongue.

“You are  _ not  _ helping,” the second-year hissed.

“You don’t have to hide our relationship from them,” his soulmate crooned.

Those words had waves of jealousy surging through him. It clouded his mind as bitterness flowed through the bond from both his and Hajime’s ends. He wanted something in his hand to occupy the flurry of dark emotions in his heart.

“Listen here, Kindaichi,” Tobio-chan said, pointing to himself. “Me and,” he pointed to Kyoutani, “him are cousins.”

The world seemed to stop at those words, and Tooru thought he had heard the blue-eyed boy wrong. 

Kindaichi seemed to have thought so as well, because he let out a “Huh?”

“We’re cousins.  _ Cou-sins _ ,” he stressed.

As the words sunk in, Tooru was overly aware of the heat that was now traveling through his entire body. It was only made worse when Makki and Mattsun burst out laughing, collapsing over each other at his and Hajime’s expense.

“Then that room you came out of…” Kunimi questioned.

“It’s my room,” Tobio-chan stated. “What did you think…”

The smile melted off his face, replaced by a harsh scowl as he gagged at the realization of what Kunimi insinuated. The reaction from his soulmate only made his embarrassment worse and had Tooru wanting to curl up in a hole and never come out. He wanted to disappear.

“That’s fucking gross,” his soulmate growled, looking like he was going to throw up. “I’m gonna be fucking sick.”

“You said you were living by yourself,” Kunimi yelled.

“I moved back in because of my leg!”

“So you and Kyoutani are cousins, Kageyama?” Hajime drawled, as though needing to confirm it once more. He was not much better than Tooru at the moment with his face looking like a firetruck.

“ _ Yes. _ ”

“Isn’t that great, Captain?” Mattsun asked, obviously taking amusement in this. “It was all just your misunderstanding.”   
  


“Sh-shut up!” Tooru was already mortified enough. He did not need Mattsun rubbing salt in the wound.

“It’s fine to be embarrassed, Oikawa,” Makki told him with a mock-sympathetic expression. “Your dignity is still intact, so you don’t have to worry.”

He tried to glare at him, but it only made the other boy laugh more. His brow twitched with annoyance as he became even hotter if it were possible.

Absolutely mortified, Tooru hid himself behind Hajime so that no one could see his face as he let out a groan.

All this time, he had been embarrassed over what was essentially a sibling relationship. How was he supposed to know that? 

The two of them did not even have the same surnames, and they looked nothing alike. Who in the world would have ever guessed they were cousins?   
  


He knew, he  _ knew _ , Makki and Mattsun would never let him live this down.

Still, as much as he was embarrassed, Tooru was immensely relieved that Tobio-chan was not dating anyone. 

Maybe they did have a chance of making everything right with the younger boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter.
> 
> Tooru and Hajime simping over Tobio being shirtless is everything. The fact that couldn't stop staring...Honestly, Tobio is going to be the death of them one day (in a good way).
> 
> Also, we love Makki and Mattsun embarrassing them even even more (well, embarrassing Tooru) more than they already are. I have a feeling that those two will be getting their own personal entertainment show from watching Tooru and Hajime trying to get Tobio to forgive them.
> 
> I hope you had fun with this chapter.


	63. Chapter Fifty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just leave him alone,” Kentarou told the ace, shoving a chunk of hamima chicken into his mouth. “He’s never listened to anyone.”
> 
> He gulped down the food in his mouth. “That's not true!” he protested. “I just don’t listen to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very easy-going and light-hearted chapter. I had a very easy time writing it and loved how it turned out.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy it.

“Hey, Kentarou,” he called out.

His cousin, who had been outside in the backyard with the rest of the volleyball team, had immediately popped his head into the kitchen. “What is it, Tobio?”

It had been about four hours since he had woken up, making it around 4:00 PM. He was beginning to regret skipping breakfast...lunch...whatever, and his stomach had begun rioting about the lack of food. 

“Could you make me some food?” he asked the older boy.

Kentarou complied with his request without complaint, opening their refrigerator to rummage for some food. He heard as the doors of the fridge opened, but the sound of a grunt had him peeking over the back of the couch.

Tobio was met with the sight of an empty fridge.

“There’s nothing left,” his cousin stated.

“I can see that,” he replied, lips frowning and brows furrowing. “How? There were still some leftovers when I opened it this afternoon.”

“It was probably because of the volleyball team,” Kentarou explained. “I saw some of them looking through the fridge earlier. They must have eaten whatever was left.”

“I’m hungry, though,” Tobio pouted. “What am I going to do about food now?”

“Do you want me to cook something for you?” his cousin asked, opening the cabinet to their pans.

He screamed at the suggestion. “NO!”

The mere thought of the older boy cooking sent shivers down his spine. He was not risking the possibility of a fire breaking out simply to satiate his hunger.

“Why not?” Kentarou questioned. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

“I am,” he agreed, “but I’m not so desperate that I want you cooking for me.”   
  


His cousin scowled at that, clearly offended. “I’m not that bad of a cook.”

In the corner of his eyes, he saw the volleyball players rush in from the backyard. All of them were looking between the two of them with worried expressions as Iwaizumi-san asked, “Is something wrong, Kageyama? We heard a scream.”

“I’m fine, but take that pan away from him,” he ordered, pointing to his cousin.

Although his eyes furrowed in confusion, Iwaizumi-san followed his order nonetheless. The ace moved towards Kentarou, reaching out a hand to grab the pan, only for his cousin to move away.

“You’re the one who wants food,” Kentarou stated. “Why are you so against me cooking?”

“You almost burned down the kitchen the last time you cooked,” Tobio exclaimed.

“I was  _ ten _ .”

“You managed to burn eggs just last week!”

“How do you manage to burn eggs?” the caramel-haired, second-year setter wondered. He could not remember the person’s name, but he was certain it was something along the lines of Yahama...Yabaha...Yamaha...something.

“I was distracted!”

“Let’s just order some takeout,” he suggested, a bit desperate at this point.

“I don’t even know any takeout places to call,” his cousin argued. 

“Then let someone else cook!”

“Um…I know a takeout place,” the libero volunteered, raising his hand.

“It’s fine,” Kentarou growled, setting the pan on the stove and turning on the fire. “I’ll just cook up some food.

“Kentarou!  _ No, _ ” he pleaded with the older boy, moving to rise from the couch he was currently laying on. 

“Don’t move,” his cousin hissed, putting the pan down and rushing to push him back down onto the couch.

Tobio gripped the arms on his shoulder, looking up at Kentarou with wide eyes. “You’re not going to cook, right? We can order takeout, right?”   
  


“Right, right,” his cousin said. “Just stay put.”

He nodded his understanding, relieved that the kitchen would not burn down. He settled back onto the couch, resting his left leg on one of the arms as he laid the rest of his body on the cushions. 

“The takeout place,” Kentarou grunted as he walked to the kitchen. “Could I have its number?”

“We might as well use this opportunity to order food for dinner,” he heard Oikawa-san say. “What kind of food does this place have?”

“It’s a typical Japanese restaurant,” the libero answered. 

“Then I want—”

“Pork curry,” his cousin finished for him. “I know, Tobio.”

♚♚♚

By the time the food finally arrived, paid for by Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san, his stomach was already eating itself. He was starving and practically tore into the rice and pork curry the moment it was handed to him.

“Slow down, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san told him. “You’ll choke with the rate you’re going at.”

“Ith wonth,” he mumbled, not listening to the older boy at all. 

“Just leave him alone,” Kentarou told the ace, shoving a chunk of hamima chicken into his mouth. “He’s never listened to anyone.”

He gulped down the food in his mouth. “That's not true!” he protested. “I just don’t listen to you.”

“That’s a blatant lie, and you know it,” his cousin retorted. “Once you set your mind to something, you refuse to listen to anyone who goes against you.”

“I listen...sometimes.”   
  


Kentarou gave him a dead stare. “Uh-huh. Sure. That’s exactly why you went to Italy despite Okaa-san threatening to disown you if you went.”

Unable to retort with his cousin’s statement, he only scowled before going back to shove food into his mouth.

Mizuki-san had been against him traveling to a foreign country from the moment the topic was brought up. She protested it every step of the way and eventually even threatened to disown him. Of course, he knew would never actually do it, which was why he went in the first place.

His aunt had been furious with him, but once she saw how much the change of environment was improving his mental health, she let the matter go.

“You were in Italy, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san said, surprise evident in his expression. “When?”

“I left at the end of November,” he answered. “I returned to Japan at the beginning of March.”

“What were you doing in Italy?” Kunimi questioned.

“My uncle, Kentarou’s father, has a friend there that specializes in physical therapy.”

“Did you go by yourself, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked.

Tobio shook his head. “I had Tadaaki-san with me.”

“That guy who came to pick you up the other day?” Kindaichi asked.

He nodded. “He’s my attendant. He was sent by my uncle to look after me.”

“How rich are you exactly, Kageyama?” Kindaichi inquired. “I mean, you two live in the mansion and you have an attendant. Not to mention your platinum credit card.”

“I don’t know what my net worth is,” he shrugged, turning to his cousin. “Do you know?”

Kentarou shook his head. “I think I have a few million, at least, but Otou-san has most of it in a savings account so I don’t know.”

“A few million,” Oikawa-san squeaked.

“You should have more than me, though, Tobio,” his cousin continued. “You earned a few hundred thousand dollars from winning piano competitions when you were younger.”

“Do piano competitions give you prize money?” Kunimi asked, eyes furrowed in confusion.

“Yeah,” he stated. “First prizes can range from ten-thousand to thirty-thousand dollars. Really big competitions like the National Chopin Piano Competition can go as high as one-hundred thousand.”

“Didn’t you win a piano contest recently, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked. “I heard the principal announce it during the morning assembly. I didn’t even know you played the piano!”

He flushed at the mention of that announcement, causing Kentarou to snicker at his expense. “Yeah,” he mumbled. 

“How much money did you win then?” Iwaizumi-san asked.

“Around fifteen-thousand.”   
  


“Fifteen-thousand,” Kunimi breathed.

“If you won, that means you should be really good, right?” Makki-san questioned. 

“I  _ am _ good,” he corrected. He would not have won otherwise. 

Mattsun-san laughed. “You’re really arrogant, aren’t you?” the upperclassman asked. “If you’re so good, then you should play something for us.”

He considered the idea, debating whether or not he should. He eventually agreed to it with a shrug. “Sure. I need to get in some practice anyways.”

Kentarou helped support him as he hopped his way to the piano, his cousin making sure to keep him balanced so that he would not fall. The older boy gingerly set him down onto the bench, and Tobio relished in the feeling of the key beneath his fingers.

“What song do you want me to play?” he asked Mattsun-san.

“Whatever song that will showcase how good you are.”

“You don’t know any classical songs, do you?” he interrogated the upperclassman dryly, to which Mattsun-san could only splutter out a reply.

Tobio smiled, nonetheless, as his fingers began dancing across the keys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the beginning, this was meant to be a very easy-going and light-hearted chapter. It shows some sibling interactions between Kentarou and Kyoutani, and shows Seijoh getting to know a bit more about Tobio.
> 
> I especially love the nonchalant attitude Tobio had when talking about his time in Italy and how much money he had. 
> 
> The beginning half of the chapter was just my self-indulgence because I cannot get enough of writing about Kentarou and Tobio together. 
> 
> Next chapter is when Seijoh hears Tobio's abilities as a pianist, so look forward to it.
> 
> Also, I love how sassy and arrogant Tobio can be.


	64. Chapter Fifty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can you only play classical songs on the piano then?” the second-year setter asked.
> 
> “No,” he stated. “I can also play pop songs.”
> 
> “Then can you play Despacito?” the libero asked.
> 
> “I...can,” he said hesitantly, his opinion of the libero changing significantly at the request.

A few days into June—three to be precise—he thought the perfect way to welcome the arrival of the new season with a song dedicated to it.

And what better piece to play than Vivaldi’s Summer?

Rather than painting an image of pastel-colored flowers and the gentle rays of the sun, the piece painted the blazing heat and the dread of a thunderstorm. 

  
  


Tobio thought that, since none of the volleyball players—he was assuming—did not know much about piano compositions, he should shorten it to only the third movement. He was jumping straight to the thunderstorm.

He loved playing the sixteenth notes of this movement. There was just something so satisfying with hitting them in rapid succession.

Because he was not playing for a competition, he did not focus much on the technical aspect of the piece. He chose, instead, to focus on the emotion and imagery the song provoked.

In the back of his mind, he could see as dark storm-clouds rolled in to dye the summer skies with a bleak and dreary grey. He saw the flashes of light piercing through the gloom, he heard the crackling of thunder, and felt the humidity coating the air.

It was a roaring storm, and he was stranded in the middle of its chaos.

It was the harshness and cruelty of summer, and he relished in its aggressiveness.

And it ended just as aggressively with a quickened halt with a G played in unison.

Smiling at the simple resolution, he stretched his fingers and turned, only to be startled by the people surrounding him.

“What the…” he began.   
  


Mattsun-san yanked at one of his wrists, grabbing his fingers between the older boy’s index and thumb. The volleyball player was staring at his hand in wonder. “How do your fingers move so fast?” he asked.

He pulled his hand back. “It’s called practice.”

“I knew you won a competition, but I didn’t expect that, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san breathed. “It was like I saw a thunderstorm.”

Tobio lit up at the description. “Really? It was written by an Italian composer named Antonio Vivaldi. The piece is part of a group of four concertos called the Four Seasons. This one, specifically, is Summer. It has three movements, but the third one—the one I played just now—is supposed to depict a thunderstorm. It’s great that I was able to make you imagine that,” he ranted.

He was about to say more, too, when his cousin interrupted him. “No one understands what you’re saying, Tobio,” Kentarou told him. “None of us know shit about the piano.”

He pouted, mood dampening. “It’s not like I used any complicated terminology,” he grumbled. “And it’s not my fault you’re an idiot.”

“It’s fine, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san assured him, an eager expression on the upperclasman’s face. “You can continue explaining it to me.”

“It’s fine,” he muttered glumly, touching the keys with one hand.

He suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around his head, and he was pulled into a solid chest. Shocked, he could only stay silent as Mattsun-san cooed, “Look what you did to your poor cousin, Kyoutani. He looks absolutely miserable.”

“Mattsun,” Oikawa-san cried, “let go of Tobio-chan!”   
  


“I don’t want to,” was the middle blocker’s reply. Mattsun-san rested his chin on top of Tobio’s head, provoking the setter even more. “Your hair is so soft, Kageyama. What kind of product do you use?”

“Huh?” he questioned, utterly confused by the turn of events. “Um...just normal products?”

“Mattsun!” Oikawa-san whined.

“Alright, alright,” Mattsun-san drawled, releasing his head and allowing him to straighten on the bench. “No need to be so jealous, Captain.”

The setter sputtered at that. Both third-years delved into an exchange of teasing insults and barbed words, and, figuring that it was better to ignore it, Tobio turned back to the piano.

It was Kindaichi who asked him, “Do you play these types of songs all the time, Kageyama?” There was an evident expression of awe on the wing spiker’s face, and he was still staring at the keyboard.

“If you mean classical pieces, then yeah. Most piano competitions have you play classical compositions.”

“Are they all this difficult?” Kunimi questioned.

“Of course not,” he stated. “A lot of the most well-known piano pieces are designed for beginners. The first movement of Minuet in G minor by Petzold, for example, is pretty simple. ”

He played the familiar dun dundundun dun dun-dun.

“And then the first movement of Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven isn’t that hard either,” he said.

Dun-dun-dun dun-dun-dun dun-dun-dun.

“The difficulty varies based on the song and level.”

“Can you only play classical songs on the piano then?” the second-year setter asked.

“No,” he stated. “I can also play pop songs.”

“Then can you play Despacito?” the libero asked.

“I...can,” he said hesitantly, his opinion of the libero changing significantly at the request. “If you let me hear the song through once, I should be able to play it at the performer level.”

The dark-haired boy immediately pulled out his phone, turning on Despacito.

Tobio closed his eyes as he listened to the song, focusing in on the rhythm and familiar melody. He did the modifications in his head so that the song would be better suited for the piano.

Once the song finished, he immediately placed his fingers on the keyboard and began playing. It was more difficult than he had imagined it would be, requiring legato, a fast rhythm, and difficult repeated notes. There was also a glissando at one point.

But by the end, he managed to recreate a melody similar to the song.

“I thought that song was pretty simple,” the libero said. “I didn’t know it was that difficult to play.”

“That’s because I played it at a high level,” he explained.

“I want to suggest a song,” Oikawa-san chirped.

“No, thank you,” he replied immediately, ignoring the affronted gasp of the setter.

“Can you play Believer by Imagine Dragons, Kageyama?” Mattsun-san requested.

“Sure.”

“Why would you let him suggest a song?” Oikawa-san cried.

“Because I like him better than you,” Tobio replied easily.

“Tobio-chan!” the setter whined.

“Shut up, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi-san ordered, smacking their soulmate on the back of the head. “You’re being annoying.”   
  
“Iwa-chan, you brute!”

He tuned out the distractions and began playing Believer.

The next few hours continued that way, with the volleyball players (except Oikawa-san) requesting various songs for him to play.

It was only around 9:00 PM that he returned to his room, leaving the team to do whatever bonding game they had come up with. 

When he went to sleep, he thought that it would not be so bad to spend more time with. It was completely forgotten, however, when his eyes drifted close and retreated into the abyss of unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday to Tobio!
> 
> So far, whenever Tobio played the piano, I was always so focused on writing the technical aspects of it. That was because he had a competition coming up at the time. With him playing in a casual environment like he did in this chapter, I thought it was better to focus more on the feeling of the song. This way, it shows more about how passionate Tobio is about the piano and how he genuinely enjoys playing it.
> 
> I think this chapter really shows Tobio's soulmates and former teammates how much he loves the piano. At least, I intended for it to be that way because that's an important of Tobio's character in this story. Akira, Yuutarou, Hajime, and Tooru need to understand that.
> 
> The fact that Tobio was so crestfallen after Kentarou stopped his rant is precious. Like, we need to protect this baby!!
> 
> Also, Mattsun is one of my favorite characters and him intentionally provoking Tooru is pure gold. And the fact that Tobio joins in with him provoking Tooru is great. I lover their dynamic. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> P.S. Don't worry. Kentarou will have his own soulmate. It just shows up a lot later in the story.


	65. Chapter Fifty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was not his mother.
> 
> He was not his mother.
> 
> He was not his mother.
> 
> He was nothing like his mother.
> 
> With only the darkness as his companion, he did not know if he truly believed those words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this was a heartbreaking one to write. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy it.

_ He laid sprawled across the hard, wooden floors, tears gathering in his eyes and threatening to fall as the figure of a woman loomed over him. Her eyes reflected a raging blizzard on the darkest night of the year, and her scowl was condescending as she gazed at him. _

_ “You’re useless,” she snarled. “Worthless. I wish you were never born.” _

_ Tobio closed his eyes, unable to move his body and accepted her verbal onslaught. It was fine—he had heard these words before. He was used to it, had become desensitized to the pain that poked his heart every time he heard them. It was fine. _

_ He was fine. He was. _

_ As though noticing that her words had no effect on him, she let out a noise of outrage as she pulled out a belt from seemingly thin air. He tensed as she brought her arm up, bracing himself for the whip of leather.  _

Crack.

_ It took a few seconds before he registered a distant itch on his lower back. It crawled against his skin like wildfire, branding him with a dark, red line. It seared him, causing him to writhe from where he laid, but Tobio refused to utter a sound. _

_ It was fine—he had experienced this pain before. He was used to it, had become numb to the sensation of skin splitting and the burning ache that followed. It was fine. _

_ He was fine. He was. _

_ The woman only seemed more outraged at his lack of reaction, screaming incoherent words at him. Cursing him.  _

_ And then the scene changed.  _

_ He was no longer sprawled across the floor, surrounded by darkness. Instead, he found himself tied to a chair. In front of him was a volleyball court, the last one from junior high and the last one he would ever play. _

_ Tobio began struggling against the rope digging him into his skin, desperate to escape. To not see. _

_ When he pinned his gaze on the floor, cold, slender hands forced his head up. A mocking voice breathed into his ear, “My poor, poor son,” his mother crooned. “You think you’re so great. That you’re so much better than me.” _

_ He gritted his teeth as he watched himself on the court, barking at his teammates as though were pawns for him to command. He watched himself yell, watched himself snap at every mistake.  _

_ “But the truth is,” his mother continued, digging her claws into his face, “we’re exactly the same. You have my blood running through your veins, and that is something you can  _ never _ escape.” _

_ He watched as became the very tyrant he loathed. Watched as his teammates turned their backs on him.  _

_ And he could not blame them. _

_ The tears were now streaming down his eyes, blurring his vision until he could no longer see the scene before him. Sobs racked his body, causing him to shudder with every breath as denial rained from his lips. _

_ He was not his mother. _

_ He was not his mother. _

_ He was not his mother. _

_ He was nothing like his mother. _

_ With only the darkness as his companion, he did not know if he truly believed those words. _

* * *

Tobio jerked awake, gasping for breath as cold sweat crawled down his back. He reached up with the back of his hand to wipe away the tears wetting his face.

He shivered as he registered the isolating coldness and debilitating loneliness of his room.

Despite his alarm clock reading 3:43 AM, he flung away his blankets as he grabbed for the crutches at his bedside. He quickly changed into whatever shirt he could find. Tobio would not be able to go back to sleep today, and trapping himself inside his bedroom would only result in him replaying the nightmare in his mind.

Remembering the presence of the volleyball club at the last minute, Tobio opened his door as silently as he could. He carefully avoided unconscious bodies splayed across the floor as he made his way to the backyard.

Spreading his arms and legs, he laid himself onto the grass as he stared at the stars glittering above. The sensation of the grass tickling his skin calmed his racing heartbeat somewhat, the gentle rays of the moon soothing the storm of his mind.

He closed his eyes and breathed in the crisp air, relishing the warm embrace of the summer heat.

“Kageyama?” a voice called out to him, and he tensed as he heard the crunch of grass coming closer to him. Both Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san were staring down at him with worried expressions as he opened his eyes.

“Iwaizumi-san, Oikawa-san,” he mumbled, too exhausted to bother with putting up a wall. “What are you doing here so early in the morning?”

“We could ask you the same thing, Tobio-chan.” The setter’s voice was soft and gentle, worried but not intrusive. As though letting him decide whether or not confess the reason.

“I was clearing my mind,” he answered, closing his eyes as he felt them sit down on either side of him.

“Does it have to do with what we felt through the bond?” Iwaizumi-san asked.

“Is that why you’re awake?” he questioned, his own voice small and barely audible. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Tobio-chan. We don’t mind,” the setter quickly assured him. “More importantly, are you alright?”

He opened his eyes again, taking notice of their hands, which were hovering in the air. “Mmhmm,” he murmured. “It was just a nightmare. You can go back to sleep.”

“If it was only a nightmare,” Iwaizumi-san began, “you wouldn’t have been so terrified nor would you have been crying.”

“What was the nightmare about, Tobio-chan?” his other soulmate inquired.

He would admit that he found the voices of his soulmates calming, especially after the nightmare he had just had. However, that did not mean he felt comfortable sharing details about his mother.

Seeing his hesitation, Oikawa-san added, “You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to.”

“Can...can we touch you, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san requested.

And because he was craving warmth, because he needed to ground himself to something more than just grass, he allowed them. “Go ahead.”

He immediately felt a hand run through his hair, massaging his temples soothingly. His right hand was clasped in between Oikawa-san’s, and the setter rubbed soothing circles on the back of his hand.

Later, he had no doubt he would be kicking himself for this, but did not particularly care at the moment. Not when their touches were making him forget the reason why he was outside in the first place.

“...I dreamt about my mother,” he said eventually, closing his eyes again. He knew his soulmates would not gossip about matters like this, and he was grateful for their comfort. “She lost custody of me in third grade.”

He leaned into Iwaizumi-san's hand as it caressed his cheek, liking the dry roughness of it. 

“She...used to hit me.”

Both of their movements stopped at the revelation, and he snapped his eyes open when he felt liquid on his hand.

“I’m...sorry, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san breathed, tears streaming from his eyes. His face was twisted with an expression full of guilt and pain, and Tobio had no doubt he was recalling the moment the upperclassman had almost hit him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to be like—”

“You’re nothing like that woman, Oikawa-san,” Tobio told him, and he absolutely meant it. The older boy had an awful personality, but he knew that the setter could never be anywhere near as horrible as his mother. “The fact that you apologized proves it. She has never once said sorry.”

“I’m sorry, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san continued sobbing, sniffling.

“Stop crying. You look ugly,” Tobio stated.

His soulmate let out a shocked gasp that had him chuckling slightly.

Both of the older boys continued their soothing movements, and it was not long before he felt himself becoming sleepy again. He tried to stay awake, to keep his eyes open, but exhaustion eventually overtook him and he felt himself be lulled into darkness.

He fell asleep to the moonlight shining on him and the gentle, warm touches of his soulmates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tooru must be feeling extremely guilty now that he's heard that. He knows what he did was wrong before, but now he's actually horrified about what happened.
> 
> Notice how Tobio did not accept his apology or forgive him. He knows that Tooru feels guilty, but that doesn't mean he can simple overlook it. At the same time, he knows that Tooru is nothing like his mother, so he has no intention of making him feel even more guilty than he already is.
> 
> I hope this chapter clarifies more on why Tobio is so hung up on the about what happened in junior high--to the point that he went to Italy. 
> 
> I really love IwaOiKage interaction in this chapter. Tooru and Hajime comforting him was so nice to write and I love how they prioritized comforting him over getting information. It shows that they care more about Tobio than they do about themselves.
> 
> Anyways, I'm sure you guys can tell that I loved writing this chapter. So I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as well.


	66. Chapter Fifty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few seconds passed before he recalled the night’s events; the memories of it had him burying his head into his pillow and groaning.
> 
> “Fucking hell,” he cursed.
> 
> His cheeks flamed hot with embarrassment, and his stomach lurched with regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a transition chapter, so I had a hard time writing it.
> 
> Have fun reading.

He opened eyes to the incessant rays of the sun and scowled against the morning brightness. In a daze, he frowned in confusion at the shirt on his body, wondering why he was wearing it.

A few seconds passed before he recalled the night’s events; the memories of it had him burying his head into his pillow and groaning.

“Fucking hell,” he cursed.

His cheeks flamed hot with embarrassment, and his stomach lurched with regret. 

_ Why did he tell them that?  _

_ Why did he let them  _ touch  _ him? _

He wanted to travel back in time and smash his own head. If he had been in a normal state of my mind, he would not have even allowed them to sit beside him, much less  _ touch _ him. And the matter about his mother…

Tobio remembered the shame and guilt had been burning in brown eyes, the expression wrenched with remorse and horror. He remembered the tears that streamed down like a waterfall and the pale skin that was almost ghostly. 

He supposed it was not such a bad thing that he revealed that little fact about himself. At least now, he knew that Oikawa-san truly did regret what he had attempted to do in junior high.

Forgiveness was still a long way ahead, but at least he was alleviated by the knowledge that his soulmate had not purposefully tried to hit him. It made it easier to breathe, knowing that it was not something about him that incited such violent acts from people.

Rolling out of bed, he grabbed his crutches and hobbled towards the door, not even thinking to put on pants—it was too troublesome when he was only going to stay at home. Opening the door, he immediately slammed it closed when he registered the person standing in front of it.

“Tobio-chan!” Oikawa-san whined, the sound muffled by the wall between them. “That’s so rude!”

His entire face was engulfed by flames, because of course Oikawa-san would be the one outside his door. It was just his luck that this would happen.

_ How the hell was he going to face them with a straight face? _

It turned out that he did not need to know the answer to that question, because a moment later his cousin was bursting into his room. Kentarou’s eyes were wide and mouth twisted in a scowl as the older grabbed his face between both hands.

“What did that bastard do to you?” his cousin demanded, taking in his flushed state and traveling eyes.

“I-I didn’t do anything to him,” Oikawa-san cried. The setter was not very convincing with his stuttering and flushed face. “Don’t be so rude, Kyouken-chan!”

His cousin only glared at the third-year. “Did he do anything to you?” Kentarou pressed, squishing his face further.

“Nu,” he said.

“Are you sure?” 

“Mmhmm,” he confirmed, trying to nod his head.

Behind his cousin, he saw as the volleyball club gathered outside his room, peeking in curiously to see what was happening. Absolutely mortified by the attention, he tried pushing the older boy’s arm away and possibly the boy himself out of the room in the process.

“Le go,” he ordered, unable to speak properly with hands pressing against his cheeks.

Kentarou complied, but did not let the matter go. “Are you sure?” he repeated.

“ _ Yes _ ,” he hissed, face burning with embarrassment. “Now,  _ get out _ .”   
  


♚♚♚

He stayed inside his bedroom, his cousin bringing his meals to him, because he did not want to risk the chance of having to talk with his soulmates.

Tobio only came out of his room when the volleyball club was getting ready to return back home, determining that it was impolite if he did not see them off. So reluctantly, he hobbled his way out of the door and into the living room to see that all of them were already packed to leave. In fact, the only ones left were Kunimi, Kindaichi, and the third-years.

“Has the King finally come out of hiding?” Mattsun-san crooned, smirking.

He scowled at the nickname. “Don’t call me that.”

“Don’t scowl, Tobio-chan,” Makki-san told him. “It ruins your pretty little face.”

He only crossed his arms as he waited for them to leave. 

“We'll see you tomorrow, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san chirped, shooting him a blinding smile.

Tobio averted his eyes, only nodding his head in acknowledgement. He was still conflicted by how much he had told his soulmates, wondering whether it had been a good idea to reveal something that made him so vulnerable.

There was also how they had comforted him, which was unexpected considering they had rejected him before. 

He did not want to dwell on the fact that their touches were, indeed, soothing. 

“Thanks for letting us borrow your house, Kyoutani,” Iwaizumi-san thanked his cousin before turning to him. “Thanks to you, too, Kageyama.”

He grunted, purposely ignoring the inquiring eyes of the older boy. Iwaizumi-san had always been protective, whether it came from his responsibility as vice-captain or it was purely just his nature Tobio did not know. What he did know was that having that protectiveness aimed at him was unnerving.

“Bye, Kageyama,” Kunimi bid him.

“See ya, Kyoutani-san, Kageyama,” Kindaichi said.

When all of them left, and he and Kentarou were once again alone in their house, his cousin helped him back to his room.

As he laid on his bed, he reflected on the last two days.

He thought about the teasing jokes and casual bantering. He thought about the easy conversations and natural laughter.

It was nice.

Neither he nor Kentarou had ever invited anyone over to their house, on account of the fact that neither of them ever had any friends. It had always been him and his cousin, with Tadaaki-san occasionally accompanying them.

Having other people to talk to and laugh with outside of school was...different. It was not unpleasant, but it was not exactly comfortable either. It was new and unfamiliar, and it would take time to get used to. 

However, he did not hate it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have much to say about this chapter other than protective Kentarou is the best.
> 
> My brain is kind of fried right now. I have so much time on my hands that my brain shut down because I don't know what to do.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed.


	67. Chapter Fifty-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When he did not move to return back to practice, Tobio demanded, “Why are you here?”
> 
> “Can I not be here?”
> 
> “You have practice,” he stated.
> 
> “I...want to be here,” his soulmate answered slowly, still standing a few feet away from him.
> 
> “Why?” 
> 
> “Because you’re here,” Iwaizumi-san stated unabashedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy with how this chapter turned out. It was so easy to write, despite the fact that I had no idea where I was going with this.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys have fun reading it.

Afternoon practices were more trying on his patience than morning practices. 

It had to do with various factors, but it was mostly because there were more people in the gym than there was in the mornings—courtesy of Oikawa-san’s fangirls. Tobio would not mind them so much if they did not fawn over every little thing the setter did. Every set, every serve, every pass, every receive had them squealing and shrieking the captain’s name. 

It irritated his sensitive ears, and caused him pounding headaches.

“Is it like this all the time?” he eventually asked Kindaichi after two weeks of attending the practices. He scowled as another chorus of squeals erupted, worsening the throbbing of his head.

He found himself asking the wing spiker many questions about the team during these past few weeks. Kindaichi was well-acquainted with nearly everyone on the team, and was privy to much of the information passed around. He was also knowledgeable about each person’s strengths and weaknesses, which made it easy for Tobio to discuss plays with the spiky-haired boy.

It had been awkward at the beginning days, their conversations full of clipped responses and slow replies. However, they had fallen into a comfortable routine by the end of the first week, in which the older boy would talk to Tobio during breaks.

Kindaichi gave him a sympathetic expression. “Unfortunately,” was the answer he received. “We’ve tried asking them to not disturb practices, but we can’t exactly force them to stop coming.”   
  


“Has Oikawa-san done anything about it?” he questioned, rubbing the bridge of his nose with an index finger and a thumb. “He’s the Captain and they’re here because of him.”

“He’s tried, but it only went through one ear and out of the other.”

“I’m surprised Kentarou hasn’t snapped at them by now,” he stated.

His cousin had a much shorter fuse than he did. The fact that he was a hair’s breadth from snarling at every single one of them made him wonder how the older boy managed to keep himself calm all this time.

“Kyoutani-san made a girl cry once,” Kindaichi admitted. “But he got in trouble for it, so he’s been keeping himself in check all this time.”

“I don’t fucking him,” he hissed, closing his eyes when the light became too bright for him to handle. 

“Are you jealous?” the wing spiker asked, causing him to snap his eyes open.

Tobio stared at the other boy in confusion, weighing the smirk on his lips and the amusement in his eyes. “Why would I be jealous?” he drawled. “I’m only annoyed because I’m getting a headache from all the squealing.”

Kindaichi frowned. “But aren’t you and Oikawa-san soulmates?”   
  


“Yes. What about it?”

All amusement melted off the wing spiker’s face. “Aren’t you annoyed by all of these girls flirting with your soulmate?”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something, Kindaichi,” Tobio told him. “Just because Oikawa-san is my soulmate doesn’t mean I love him or anything. In fact, him and Iwaizumi-san are barely more than strangers to me.”

A cough drew their attention, and he turned to see Iwaizumi-san standing a few feet away from them. His expression was indifferent, but Tobio was certain that the upperclassman had heard every word he had just said.

“I-I’m going to go back to practice,” Kindaichi excused himself awkwardly, practically running away to leave the two of them alone.

Silence stretched between them as they only stared at each other, the tension thickening with every passing second. He writhed uncomfortably from where he laid, but he refused to avert his eyes.

He was not guilty in the least—what he said had been the truth.

“I have some ibuprofen for you,” the ace said eventually. “Your headache seemed to be pretty uncomfortable.”

Iwaizumi-san held out two capsules in his hand, and he stared for a moment before taking them. “Thank you,” he muttered, ignoring the brush of their skin. 

The wing spiker handed him a bottle of water. “Don’t take them dry like last time,” the third-year instructed. 

He sat up and placed the capsules in his mouth, unscrewing the cap of the bottle and washing them down with a gulp of water. “Do you want the bottle back?” he questioned, laying back down and holding the plastic towards the older boy.

Iwaizumi-san shook his head. “Take it. You should keep yourself hydrated while waiting for your cousin.”

When he did not move to return back to practice, Tobio demanded, “Why are you here?”

“Can I not be here?”

“You have practice,” he stated.

“I...want to be here,” his soulmate answered slowly, still standing a few feet away from him.

“Why?” 

“Because you’re here,” Iwaizumi-san stated unabashedly.

Tobio gaped at him, feeling heat rush to his face at the blunt statement. “W-what?”

He tensed as the wing spiker came closer and closer, until he was crouched a few inches away from his head. There was no sign of amusement in Iwaizumi-san’s expression, no sign of teasing that might hint at the fact that this was a joke. 

“I want to be here because you’re here, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san repeated, more clearly this time. 

Tobio suddenly felt the instinctual urge to run away—he would have as well, had it not been for the fact that his leg was fractured and he was currently laying down. He was completely unnerved by how serious and sincere the upperclassman looked.

“A-alright,” he stammered out, inching away a bit so that there would be more distance between the two of them. “C-cool. You-you can go back to practice now.”

Iwaizumi-san actually chuckled at Tobio’s attempt to get rid of him. It died down, however, when the ace saw how tense he was. 

“I won’t hurt you, Kageyama,” his soulmate whispered. “Especially not after what you told use a few days ago.”

He believed the upperclassman, but that was not what he was worried about. He did not know what he was worried about exactly, but he felt as though he should be looking for a way to escape.

“What do you want?” he demanded.

Iwaizumi-san only hesitated for a second before taking a deep breath. “Could we meet up on Saturday, Kageyama? The three of us,” he asked.

His breath hitched at the request, his mind immediately screaming,  _ NO.  _ However, a small voice at the back of his mind, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Tadaaki-san was telling him to accept it. It was telling him to hear them out, that he could not avoid it forever, and that it was inevitable if he ever wanted closure.

And so, with much reluctance and hesitation, he eventually breathed, “Okay.”

A smile curled the corners of Iwaizumi-san’s lips, the ace practically beaming at his agreeance. “Is there anywhere you would like to go?”

“Anywhere...is fine,” he replied.

“Then I’ll pick you up at 10 AM,” the wing spiker told him. 

His soulmate’s eyes seemed to glow with the joy glimmering in those green eyes, making him feel as though he was a prey that had just been trapped in a predator’s den.

Tobio suddenly recalled the fact that the soulmark etched on his back—the one belonging to Iwaizumi-san—was the image of a wolf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had no idea where I was going with this chapter when I wrote about Tobio being irritated by the fangirls, but it somehow flowed into a date with Hajime and Tooru and I don't regret it at all.
> 
> After fifty-seven chapters, we finally have the three of them having an actual conversation! FINALLY!
> 
> I think that having Hajime speak out his thoughts so bluntly is very typical of his character. Tobio being unnerved by him was good, too (in my opinion). I was very pleased with how this interaction turned out.
> 
> And Yuutarou at the beginning...PROGRESS!! Tobio and Yuutarou are finally having proper conversations, which is great.
> 
> How do you guys think the conversation between Tobio and his soulmates will go? Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> Also, I thought this story was only going to be forty chapters at the most. Somehow, we're at fifty-seven and I am nowhere near done with it yet. I had no idea how it turned out this way, but I am not upset at all. Writing this fanfic has been such a joy, and it has been such a good way for me to destress myself.


	68. Chapter Fifty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After they had rejected him, Tobio had anticipated that he would never talk with them again once they graduated. He had resigned himself to live without soulmates until he died. The fact that they were intruding—because they truly were intruding—into his life now had him confused and a little irritated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter with Tadaaki. I don't think we have enough of him in this story.
> 
> Have fun reading.

Despite his agreement on meeting with and talking to them, Tobio had no idea how he would actually deal with the situation. He did not know what they would be discussing—though he could guess towards the details—and was clueless as to how to have a decent conversation.

He would have asked Kentarou for help, but his cousin was lacking more social skills than he was. Not only that, but if he told the older boy about the arrangement, he was sure his cousin would damn everything to hell to prevent him from going. Tobio was also fairly certain that Kentarou might very well murder his soulmates, and he would rather not see his cousin imprisoned for years to come. Therefore, he refrained from informing the older boy about it.

Instead, he sought out advice in Tadaaki-san. Rather than his aunt or uncle, the attendant had always been the one he ran to when he was in need of help. Tadaaki-san had never failed in guiding him in the right direction before, and he was hoping that it would be the same this time as well.

“Your soulmates have asked to meet with you this Saturday,” the attendant clarified, “and you want my advice on what you’re going to do.”

He nodded, taking a sip out his milkshake with a straw. 

Both of them agreed that discussing this at home would only draw Kentarou’s attention, so they had decided to meet at a small, isolated cafe in a secluded part of town. It was out of the way enough that he was sure that no one would recognize him, and therefore, no would disturb his conversation.

“Well, to begin with, what do you want to come out of this meeting, Tobio-sama?” Tadaaki-san questioned. 

As this was more of a private interaction, and not a business one, the man was dressed in a casual attire. He wore loose jeans and a black polo shirt. The only sign of his usual expensive appearance was the single rose-gold watch on his wrist. 

“I...don’t really know what I want from them,” he stated. “I’ve been trying not to ignore them for so long now that having a conversation with them feels so strange.”   
  


After they had rejected him, Tobio had anticipated that he would never talk with them again once they graduated. He had resigned himself to live without soulmates until he died. The fact that they were intruding—because they truly were intruding—into his life now had him confused and a little irritated.

“What do I do if they want to talk about our bond?” He did not know to react if they did.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Tobio-sama,” Tadaaki-san said, looking him directly in the eye. “I think that the three of you should talk about what happened in junior high. I think you need to understand why they rejected you in the first place. And I think you need to tell them how you felt.”

He scowled at the prospect, completely against the idea of exposing something so vulnerable. Especially to his soulmates, the one who caused that vulnerability in this first place.

His attendant smiled at his obvious protest, but his expression quickly returned back to solemn. “I’m serious about this, Tobio-sama.”

“But I don’t want to forgive them,” he stated.

Rejection had been...horrible. He had no idea what he had done wrong, and could not recall a single moment in which he would have deserved it. Confused and heartbroken, he had blamed himself for it.

He did not want to forgive them. It felt as though all that pain and hurt he experienced would have been for nothing.

“I am not telling you to forgive them,” his attendant reassured him. “That decision is yours alone. No one has a right to tell you when you can or cannot forgive them. But all of you were incredibly young when that had happened. Recklessness and impulses are typical of children that age, and I’m sure that there was some misunderstanding or miscommunication that happened along the way. Do you want to live the rest of your life blaming yourself?”

He shook his head. “No,” he muttered.

“You deserve to know the reason,” Tadaaki-san continued. “And if they scheduled this meeting to ask for your forgiveness, they deserve for you to understand the reason why they rejected you. They also need to understand the consequences to their actions.”

“What if I can never forgive them?” he breathed.

“Then that is fine, but I don’t think that decision will be yours alone. If they truly want your forgiveness, then they will make an effort to earn it. And if they truly earned it, you will not be able to help but forgive them.”

Tobio contemplated the older man’s words, unable to find fault in them. He supposed that hearing them out would not be so bad, and he did want to know the reason. He did not want to blame himself for something that was not his fault anymore.

“I...will try,” he said, not able to promise anything more.

Tadaaki-san gave him a fond smile, leaning his head against his hand. “Although I am supposed to say all of that as a responsible adult, I think it’s fine if you torture them a bit, Tobio-sama.”

He smiled at that.

If he really was going to forgive them, Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san should suffer a bit for all the pain they had caused him. He had no intention of making it easy for the two.

They owed him at least that much.

And if they decide that it was not worth the trouble, if he was not worth it, then Tobio would not hesitate to permanently cut them out of his life. Forever. 

And he would have no regrets, either. He did not want to spend his life with people who did not even bother to achieve the bare minimum.

He deserved more than that. He deserved people who would love him despite the difficulties. He deserved people who would not give up on him when it was inconvenient for them. 

“And Tobio-sama,” Tadaaki-san said casually. “Do remember that I was one part of the mafia, and that I know how to hide a dead body.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Tadaaki. You guys have no idea how much I love this man.
> 
> Tobio knowing his worth is everything. I think that the only way that three of them could have a healthy, functioning relationship is if Tobio is confident in himself. Because Tooru and Hajime have been together since childhood, and that's bound to cause some problems. If Tobio is always insecure about himself, then it will cause of lot of strain and toxicity in their bond.
> 
> We love Tobio torturing his soulmates to earn his forgiveness. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Look forward to the next one.


	69. Notice

I will not be posting another chapter today or any tomorrow since it's Christmas and everything. I'll be back to posting on the 26th.


	70. Chapter Fifty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Give me your phone!” the second-year barked, pushing him into the couch cushions.
> 
> “Go to hell!”
> 
> He managed to dislodge his knee enough to bring it up into the older boy’s stomach. Kentarou grunted out in pain as the wind was knocked out of him, but the bullheaded bastard refused to move. 
> 
> “Get off of me, you psychopath!” he screamed, pushing harder against the boy on top of him.
> 
> “Just show me the phone, you fucking brat!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad for Kentarou this chapter.
> 
> Anyway, have fun reading.

He woke up Saturday morning with an awareness that he rarely had after hours of sleep. It was as though his mind and body were warning him that whatever they were going to discuss needed his complete clarity.

As he wanted to keep a sense of calmness throughout the conversation, he opted for some casual attire rather than a formal outfit. A simple pair of grey sweatpants—for the convenience of his splint—and a tucked-in baggy blue shirt seemed appropriate enough for this.

“Where are you going?” his cousin asked once he left his room. 

“I’m going out with some acquaintances,” he said vaguely, not wanting to inform Kentarou lest he risk the chance of the older boy attempting murder.

It was not as though he did not trust Kentarou enough to confide in him with this. However, he also did not want his soulmates killed before he could get the chance to have a proper conversation with them. And if his cousin were to discover that Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san had the audacity to suggest meeting up with him, both third-years would be dead by the end of the day.

“Who?” Kentarou demanded. He saw as the older boy’s eye narrowed with suspicion and his body tense with alertness—he had never been able to get much past his cousin.

Tobio scowled, resenting the psychic powers that had been passed down from Akihiro-san. “None of your business.”

“Who is it?” his cousin repeated, tone unyielding.

“None. Of. Your. Business,” he enunciated again.

“Like hell it isn’t,” Kentarou snarled.

Tobio chose to ignore him, turning his attention to his phone and waiting for Iwaizumi-san’s text of when he will arrive. His soulmate had said that he would come pick him up around 10 AM—the  _ only _ reason why he was awake so early on a Saturday morning—but there was always the possibility of them running late. 

If that were the case, he needed to know so that he could find a way to distract Kentarou long enough that he could sneak out. Preferably without his cousin ever knowing who he was meeting with.

“—gnore me!” his cousin exclaimed, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Oh?” he teased. “Were you talking?”

“ _ Yes _ ,” his cousin snarled. “Now tell me, who are you going out with?”   
  


“Some people from school.”   
  


“You don’t have friends.”

“That’s you.”

An annoyed growl had a smile stretching across his lips. Perhaps if he irritated the older boy enough, Kentarou would lock himself in his room in an attempt to ignore him.

However, he was not so lucky because his cousin continued to press the issue. “Who are these people from school?”

“Why do you care?” Tobio retorted.

“Because you’re avoiding the question,” Kentarou stated. “And whenever you avoid a question, it usually means trouble.”

“Do you think so little of me?” he asked with mock offense.

“Who are you going with?”

His phone vibrated in his hand then, and he looked to see it was text from his soulmates:

_ Hello Tobio-chan~ _

_ We’re almost there so you should get _

_ ready soon. _

_ Maybe five minutes? _

_ Anyways, can’t wait to see you! _

Tobio wondered how it was possible Oikawa-san’s voice and tone to come through so clearly in a text. Annoying people must be a talent the upperclassman had naturally been blessed with when he was born, because it had been one too many times that he has thought about punching the setter in the face.

Kentarou dived at him then, making a grab for his phone. His cousin cautiously avoided landing on his leg, but that did not deter his forcefulness in the least. Tobio was thankful for his quick reflexes then. Because he only narrowly avoided the older boy from stealing his phone.

“What are you doing?” he yelled, trying to bring his right leg up to kick away the body on top of him. 

He was currently pinned on the couch, the arm holding his phone stretched as far away as possible to prevent his cousin from reaching it. His other arm was placed on the older boy’s shoulder in an effort to restrain Kentarou.

“Give me your phone!” the second-year barked, pushing him into the couch cushions.

“Go to hell!”

He managed to dislodge his knee enough to bring it up into the older boy’s stomach. Kentarou grunted out in pain as the wind was knocked out of him, but the bullheaded bastard refused to move. 

“Get off of me, you psychopath!” he screamed, pushing harder against the boy on top of him.

“Just show me the phone, you fucking brat!”

Kentarou climbed higher, pushing his face into the cushions and gripped his wrist. He pinned Tobio’s arm down, and placed a knee on his stomach as the older boy yanked the phone out of his grip.

“You fucking asshole!” he screeched as the older boy ran into the nearest room and locked the door.

It was fortunate that he was able to lock it right before his cousin jumped him, which bought him some time to come up with a plan to keep Kentarou from attempting murder.

He ultimately decided to just lock his cousin from the outside.

Tobio hopped to the kitchen, rummaging through one of the cabinets until he found a long rope. He then hopped to the door of the room his cousin entered and tied a tight knot around the handle. He then hopped to a pillar in the house and tied a tight knot around that. When he was finished, the rope line was so tense that there was no way his cousin could open the door.

“Absolutely fucking  _ not _ ,” his cousin growled from behind the door, signaling to Tobio that had just read the text sent by Oikawa-san. “There is no way I’m letting you meet up with those assholes!”

“Sorry, Kentarou,” he apologized when the door jostled as Kentarou tried to open it. 

“You shitty asshole,” the older boy snarled.

“I need to talk to them,” Tobio explained, “but I knew there was no way you were going to let me.”

“ _ Obviously _ .”

Through the living room window, he saw a car parked outside. “I’ll make it up to you for this later,” he told Kentarou, grabbing his crutches.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” his cousin hissed. 

“I’ll call Tadaaki-san to let you out,” he said, hobbling to the door.

“Tobio! You are  _ not _ allowed to meet up with them.”

Guilt overwhelmed him as he looked back towards the room he had locked his cousin in. He knew Kentarou only wanted to protect him, but it was certain that there was no way the older boy would let him meet the people who rejected him. Tobio was sure his cousin would even resort to locking him in his room to keep him from doing so.

He needed to hear this conversation.

Tobio locked the door to the house before he crutched to the car and was greeted by cheerful, “Hello, Tobio-chan.”

He nodded his head, accepting the help into the backseat. He was greeted by another, “Good morning, Kageyama.”

Once he was settled, he asked Iwaizumi-san, “Could I borrow your phone?”

“Sure?” the wing spiker agreed, handing him the device. “Where’s your phone, Kageyama?”

“Captured by a demon,” he mumbled, punching Tadaaki-san’s number.

The man picked up on the second ring. “Hello? Who is this?”

Tobio stared out the window as the car started. “Umm, Tadaaki-san?”

“Tobio-sama?”

A slight heat rushed to his cheeks, knowing his soulmates could hear his conversation. “Could-could you come to the house?”

“Why?” the attendant questioned.

“I-ImighthavelockedKentarouinacloset,” he jumbled out.

“You..locked...Kentarou-sama in a closet?” Tadaaki-san drawled. 

“Yes.” The burst of laughter on the other end had him blushing even further. “It’s not funny!”

“I would beg to differ,” the man said, voice shaking.

“Just get him out!” he ordered before hanging up the call.   
  


He handed the phone back to Iwaizumi-san. It was Oikawa-san who asked, “Do we want to know, Tobio-chan?”

“Just be grateful I saved you two from death today,” he grumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou!! I'm so sorry! 
> 
> The next chapter will be the actual conversation between Tobio and his soulmates. Please look forward to it.
> 
> I really am sorry about Kentarou this chapter, but there was no way he was going to let Tobio knowing everything that happened between the three. Don't worry though, Tobio will make it up to him in the next few chapters.


	71. Chapter Sixty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neither of them could look him in the eyes as Oikawa-san said, “We...hoped you would...give us a chance...to be proper soulmates.”
> 
> Tobio blinked, in complete disbelief by the words. “Excuse me? You want me...to accept you as my soulmates...when you rejected me?” he repeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy with how this chapter turned out.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it too.

Iwaizumi-san’s car parked outside a small cafe. From the exterior, he had thought it would be a quaint little place, but the interior had an unexpected modern edge to it that he found himself liking. It also had a nice, relaxed ambience and the light sound of chattering only added to its comfortable feeling.

Looking around, Tobio made a mental note to visit this place again.

Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san directed him to a small table in the corner, the location far away enough from the other customers that no one will hear their conversation. He appreciated the thought of privacy, even if it was obvious to begin with.

“Do you want to order anything, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked, sitting down directly across from him as Iwaizumi-san stood waiting for their orders.

“I’ll have a cappuccino,” was his reply. He particularly preferred that type of coffee due to the large portion of milk in it.

“Then I’ll have a white-chocolate mocha frappuccino with two pumps of caramel syrup and extra whipped cream,” the setter decided.

It might have been the most sugary drink that he had ever seen anyone ordered, and Tobio wondered whether that ridiculous sugar intake was the reason why Oikawa-san was so irritating. It would certainly explain how he always managed to talk someone’s ear off.

Iwaizumi nodded, not at all fazed by the sickeningly sweet drink and went off to the order from the counter. As such, he was left alone with his brown-haired soulmate, who's staring had him increasingly on edge.

“Umm…”

“How are you feeling, Tobio-chan?” the setter asked, a suspiciously bright smile on his lips.

It sent a shiver down his spine as he muttered, “I’ve been better.”

He winced slightly at his answer, remembering his discussion with Tadaaki-san the other day. He had told the man that he would make an effort, and he did not think this was it.

“I’m just...a bit...nervous,” he clarified, his brain straining to get the right words out of his mouth. Tobio had never been a conversationalist and it was extremely apparent in his current situation. 

“Because of us?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“Obviously,” he stated dryly, wishing he had not locked his phone with his cousin.

He wondered whether Tadaaki-san had already freed Kentarou from the confines of the room. The attendant probably already did, considering the man had always been diligent with his orders. 

His cousin would be raging at the moment, probably thinking about a hundred ways to murder him. Tobio would have to be extra nice to the older boy the next few days, and he made a silent promise to do whatever Kentarou wanted for maybe the next month or so. 

“Here are the drinks,” Iwaizumi-san announced as came back with a tray in hand, three separate drinks sitting atop the plate.

“How much money was it?” he inquired, reaching into the hidden pocket of his shoe. He always carried extra money on hand in case of emergencies.

“No need,” the wing spiker quickly assured him. “We’re the ones who invited you out so we should be the ones to pay.”

He frowned, not liking the idea of owing them something, and he was about to object when Oikawa-san intervened. “It’s fine, Tobio-chan. Think of it as a bribe for you to hear us out.”

“Alright,” he agreed slowly with a slight nod.

Several moments of silence passed as Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san fidgeted with their drinks in hand. He waited patiently, sipping out of his cappuccino in an attempt to distract himself from the growing tension between the three of them.

After what felt like hours, Iwaizumi-san eventually said, “We wanted to...apologize to you for...what happened in junior high?”

“You mean how you rejected me?” he said bluntly. 

Both Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san flinched at the words, but the setter muttered out a meek, “Yeah.”

“We...never intended to-to...reject you,” Iwaizumi-san explained. 

“That’s utter bullshit,” he stated coldly, crossing his arms and leaning back against his chair.

He could not even begin to understand how rejecting someone—especially when that someone was your soulmate—was unintentional. Something of that importance does not happen because of impulse. 

He refused to acknowledge that the pain and worthlessness he endured was due to an impulsive mistake.

“I-I know what it looked like, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stuttered, expression contorted in pain. “But at that time, I was so jealous of you and so insecure about myself that-that I was afraid I might...hurt you.”

He knew the older boy was referring to when he was almost hit.

Tobio considered the explanation, and supposed he could understand the line of thought for it, but, “You thought the best solution was to reject me?” he asked skeptically. “And why did Iwaizumi-san reject me?”

“I-I was scared,” Oikawa-san continued. “I was a coward and I didn’t have enough courage to reject you myself, so I forced Iwa-chan to do it for me?”

He was not satisfied in the least with that, and he made it apparent with the scowl on his face. “Iwaizumi-san is his own separate person. If he truly wanted to, he could’ve chosen not to reject me.”

“I...I thought it was the best decision at the time…” the wing spiker said weakly.

And that was essentially the problem with this entire thing. Both of them had decided for him what would be best without ever actually considering his opinion in the matter.

Not only did that isolate him from what was supposed to be a three-way bond, but it also showed that they did not care about him enough to ask him what he thought.

“That’s stupid,” he stated coldly.

Because it was stupid. It was incredibly stupid that everything he experienced—the pain, hurt, and self-blame—from being rejected happened because they did not want to hurt him.

“You should have told me why you rejected me.” He continued in a matter-of-fact manner, “I blamed myself for three years because of you two. I thought you rejected me because I did something wrong. I thought it was because I wasn’t enough for you.”

“We...We’re sorry,” Iwaizumi-san said weakly.

“Sorry doesn’t erase everything I felt,” he stated. “How do I even know if you’re sincere or not?”

“We really are sorry,” was all Oikawa-san managed to mutter out.

Tobio looked at them then, looked at how their heads were ducked down in shame and guilty expressions on their faces. He sighed. “Suppose you are sincere,” he said theoretically. “What do you want from this apology anyways?”   
  


Neither of them could look him in the eyes as Oikawa-san said, “We...hoped you would...give us a chance...to be proper soulmates.”

Tobio blinked, in complete disbelief by the words. “Excuse me? You want me...to accept you as my soulmates...when you rejected me?” he repeated.

It was almost laughable how ridiculous this was. He would have thought it was a joke had it not been for their ashamed expressions.

“You’re fucking insane,” he breathed.

What right do they have to ask him such a ludicrous request? What right do they have to suddenly barge into his life again and demand this of him?

Are they actually that shameless?

“We-we know what it sounds like,” Iwaizumi-san said. “And-and we would understand if you didn’t want anything to do with us. But we...wanted a chance to prove to you that we really are sincere.”

He thought back to what he had discussed with Tadaaki-san. “To be honest,” he began, “I really don’t want to be your soulmate.” He ignored the hurt expression on their faces. “You’ve caused me so pain that I want absolute nothing to do with you.”

Tobio did not want to forgive them either. At the same time…

“But I also don’t want to live the rest of my life resenting you. So...I’ll give you a chance to show your sincerity.”

He ignored the hopeful expressions on their face, not allowing himself to dwell on the meaning behind them.

He was giving them a chance to earn his forgiveness, to prove to him that he could trust them as his soulmates.

“Have either of you ever played the piano?” he asked.

“The piano…?” Oikawa-san chirped.

He nodded.

He was no longer a volleyball player. Without volleyball, the chances of them meeting without Kentarou as a factor was next to none. He was no longer part of their world. 

And he had no need to step into their world.

If he were to believe their sincerity, Tobio needed to see that they were willingly to exceed their boundaries and step into  _ his _ world.

“Oikawa has a piano at home because his older sister wanted to learn,” Iwaizumi-san said, “but neither of us have ever learned it before.”

“If you both of you learn how to play the first two movements of Moonlight Sonata, I’ll believe your sincerity,” Tobio stated. “I’ll give you until New Years to learn it.”

The first and second movements were relatively easy to learn, although it still came with its difficulties. If they were serious about learning it, they should be able to learn each one within three months. New Years was six months from now, so it is completely within the realm of possibility.

He was being generous, too, in leaving out the third and final movement of the piece. It was the most difficult and would take at least five months, he estimated, for them to learn it.

Tobio thought it was a fair proposal.

“You want us...to learn the piano?” Oikawa-san breathed.

He tilted his head questioningly. “You won’t?”

“We will,” Iwaizumi-san assured him a bit too quickly. “We’re just surprised is all.”

“But Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san asked, “how will we learn it?”

“I’ll teach you,” he stated simply.

“Huh?” the setter uttered.

“I’ll teach you,” he repeated. “You want to show your sincerity, don’t you? I have no intention of letting you off so easily.”   
  


He intended to make it absolute hell for them.

“Do you have a problem with it?” he asked.

“No!” Oikawa-san exclaimed. “I-I don’t have a problem with it at all.”

“Great. If you decided to quit in the middle of it, I won’t give you another chance,” he warned.

Both of them quickly nodded in understanding.

It felt a small smile curving his lips. “You should be prepared to go through hell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like how Tobio is not going to forgive them so easily and how isn't doing it for them either. He's going to forgive them for himself and he's going to give them a chance to show that they deserve his forgiveness.
> 
> I love the piano aspect of this, because is Tobio is right. If they want to be his soulmates, then they should be the ones to step into his world. They should try to understand him, and the least they could do is learn something that Tobio enjoys and is dedicated to.
> 
> Tobio teaching Tooru and Iwaizumi will be fun to write about. I will make sure they suffer through hell like they deserve to.
> 
> Hope you guys look forward to the next chapter. It will be a more about light-heart, funny (?) one.


	72. Chapter Sixty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DIE.”
> 
> “Who’s going to die?” he heard Mattsun-san chirp from behind.
> 
> “I am,” Tobio muttered miserably.
> 
> “You are not,” Kentarou insisted, utterly exasperated. “It’s just a classroom.
> 
> “I am going to die and my very own cousin is the one who’s going to send me to my death,” he mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fun little chapter about Tobio's apology to Kentarou.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed.

Pure, unadulterated terror washed over him as he stared at his cousin, disbelieving of the words that just exited the older boy’s mouth. Both of them were standing in the school courtyard, staring at each other in a tense silence. 

It was only broken by the small whimper that escaped his lips. “You’re-you’re kidding, right?”

Kentarou locked a serious, unamused gaze at him with arms crossed. “Nope. Not at all,” was his cousin’s reply.

“I-I can’t!” he protested. “If-if you make me do that, I’ll-I’ll die!” 

The older boy narrowed his eyes in a glare. “You said you would do anything.”

He let out a low whine. “I’ll get possessed!” he screamed.

Tobio could barely believe that his cousin could be cruel enough to make him sit in an empty classroom by himself as an apology. He knew Kentarou was angry—more than angry—but he never thought that the wing spiker was going to be this cruel with his revenge.

“I-I’ll get possessed and die by myself in an empty classroom,” he said again, emphasizing his fear.

“One: Ghosts. Are. Not. Real,” Kentarou enunciated, hands on his hips. “Two: who was it that locked me in a closet again?”

His cousin might not believe in the existence of ghosts, which  _ are _ real, but that did not mean he could torture Tobio with his ideology! 

Not only had it rained the previous night, leaving the air with a slight humidity and dark atmosphere, but there was not a ray of sun to be seen with the clouds covering the entirety of the sky. Harsh winds whistled past his ears, causing the rustling leaves to startle him every so often.

Through the windows of the school, he could catch glimpses of flickering lights and dancing shadows that did little to ease his fears. 

It was the perfect environment for ghosts to appear!

How could his cousin not understand this?

“Kentarou,” he cried as he caught sight of the lights flickering again. “There's a poltergeist inside the school. Look at the lights!”

Poltergeists were notorious for their ability to make noise and manipulate the physical environment— flickering lights, for example!—and are one of the most terrifying types of ghosts. Their hauntings were rare and harmless the majority of the time, but they were known to occasionally become dangerous. They could even ignite a fire from thin air!

“What if the poltergeist lights the room on fire and traps me inside?” he hypothesized to his cousin, distress coating his voice. “What if I’m burned alive?”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Kentarou huffed. “It’s only an hour.”

“Easy for you to say!” he exclaimed. “You’re not the one that’s about to die!”

“YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DIE.”

“Who’s going to die?” he heard Mattsun-san chirp from behind.

“I am,” Tobio muttered miserably.

“You are  _ not _ ,” Kentarou insisted, utterly exasperated. “It’s just a classroom.

“I am going to die and my very own cousin is the one who’s going to send me to my death,” he mumbled.

“How could you be so cruel, Kyoutani?” Mattsun-san gasped, wrapping his arms around Tobio from behind and patting his head. He tensed a bit, but relaxed once he realized the touches were harmless. “How could you send him to ghost territory?”

“Don’t enable him!” his cousin snarled. “Ghosts aren’t real!”   
  


“Yes, they are!” Tobio and Mattsun-san argued at the same time.

Kentarou let out an insufferable groan as he pulled Tobio out of the upperclassman’s arms, making sure to be mindful of his leg. His own school bag was flung over his neck as his cousin forced his crutches under his arms. 

“Enough of your nonsense,” the older boy said. “Just go to your class.”

“You’ll-you’ll forgive me if I go, right?” he asked Kentarou.

“That was the deal.”

Reluctantly, he hobbled towards the entrance, hesitating as he neared the corridor. A glance back over his shoulder told him that his cousin was not going to budge, considering his jaw was set in an unyielding line and his arms were crossed. 

He sent one last glare at his cousin before heading straight towards his doom.

Shiver ran down his spine with a fury as he braced himself for the path ahead. He flinched at the sound of his own crutches hitting the floor, dreading every flicker and squeak of lights from above. 

Irrationally, he wondered whether one of the lights hanging from the ceiling would come falling down on top of his head. The thought did not sit well with either his heart or stomach, so he did his best to push it away.

His fears were not eased one bit as he made his way down the hallways. As he walked, the doors continued to slam open and close. And although he could blame it on the open windows and blowing harsh winds, his mind automatically made the assumption that it was the work of the poltergeist haunting the school.

It did not help that the sky was still dark from the previous night’s rain either, the lack of light creating an eerie ambiance that only added to his still-growing terror. The dancing shadows along the wall had his heart dropping every time they moved, despite the fact that he knew they were most likely caused by trees.

He almost jumped when he heard a suspicious, “ _ WooOooo _ ,” in his ear, and he desperately tried to convince himself that it was the wind. It was the wind. The wind. Wind.

After what felt like ten years rather than ten minutes, Tobio eventually reached his classroom. Rather than being at ease, however, his fear only spiked when he was met by the eerie silence of an empty room.

Hesitantly, he crutched his way to his seat in the back of the room. 

It was a mistake, he soon realized, because there was a tree right outside the window. It casted a looming shadow over the entire room, the swaying branches and rustling leaves making it appear as though several ghosts were hovering right outside.

For all he knew, there really were ghosts!

If he died here, he was going to haunt his cousin’s soul for the rest of Kentarou’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio's feat of ghosts has returned! I don't know why I'm so caught up on the idea of Tobio being afraid of ghosts (maybe it has something to do with Tooru's obsession with aliens) but it stuck with me ever since I thought of it. I find it adorable.
> 
> Okay, so I need you guys to comment two things below so I get an idea of how I'll go with story from now on.
> 
> One: How did you guys like Tobio's condition for forgiving Tooru and Hajime? I always intended to make them learn the piano as a way to show their sincerity from the moment I started the story, but I'm wondering whether that will be enough. If you have any ideas about what else they could do, then please tell me below.
> 
> Two: I've been a bit obsessed with reading fanfic about Tobio as a child (like four or five years old) and I have this idea in my head about UshiOi being his parents. Comment if you would be interested in reading that, because I've been thinking about writing it for a while now. Of course, this won't be a daily thing like this story--more like once a week or once every two weeks.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this light-hearted chapter. Look forward to the next ones.


	73. Chapter Sixty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Welcome home, Tooru, Hajime,” the woman said with a bright smile. “Who’s this?”
> 
> “This is Tobio-chan, Okaa-san,” Oikawa-san answered.
> 
> His mother's face lit up at the statement. “This is Tobio-chan?” He was startled at the joyful tone of her voice. “He’s absolutely beautiful! No wonder you talk about him so much, Tooru.”
> 
> “I do not!” Oikawa-san protested, face slowly turning red.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Tobio,” his cousin told him as he recounted what he had seen that morning.

“I’m not lying!” he insisted. “I really did see a ghost.”

He had peeked out of the window for only a second, but he swore he saw a transparent figure resting against the trunk of the tree. It was a ghost of a young girl with flowing hair and sad eyes. When he met her stare, it had sent shivers down his spine.

“Ghosts aren’t real. There’s no way you saw one.”

“Ghosts are real and I did see one,” he cried. 

Kentarou must have heard the genuine fear and distress in his voice, because his cousin turned away from his sports bag to get a good look at him. Something in his expression must have told the older boy that he was deathly serious and his cousin understood that, which was why he stopped arguing.

“When did you change out of your uniform?” his cousin asked.

“You just noticed?” he questioned.

He had changed out of his uniform the moment school ended. Tobio had brought an extra change of clothes today because he was supposed to be going straight to Oikawa-san’s house to teach his soulmates, and he did not want to be wearing his stuffy uniform the entire time.

“Are you going somewhere?” Kentarou asked, swinging his sports bag over his shoulder.

“Oikawa-san’s house.”

“Have you gone mad?” his cousin instantly replied, staring at him as though he had, in fact, gone insane.

“I’m teaching them the piano,” he explained.

Kentarou blinked, not expecting that answer. “...I’m...not going to be there for that hellhole,” his cousin said before walking straight out of the door.

He had been subject to one of Tobio’s lessons when they were younger. The older boy had only been learning the piano for three days before he commented on everything that Kentarou had been doing wrong.

Not in the way his mother had done to him, obviously, but just corrections here and there and everywhere.

“Should I be scared?” Iwaizumi-san asked, coming to stand beside him. The upperclassman had apparently heard the conversation between him and his cousin.

“You’re the ones who agreed to this,” Tobio stated. “You can back out of it now if you want.”

“Don’t worry, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san crooned. “We’re one-hundred percent committed to this.”

“I’m so relieved,” he said sarcastically as they left the gym. 

“My nephew is at my house today,” the setter informed him. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“As long as he isn’t as annoying as you.”

Iwaizumi-san laughed at the words while Oikawa-san let out an affronted gasp. “Rude, Tobio-chan,” the third-year cried. 

“He’s not wrong, though, Shittykawa,” the wing spiker snickered.

“Mean, Iwa-chan,” the setter whined.

Tobio actually rolled his eyes at the older boy’s antics. He wondered how it was possible that he was the more mature one when the upperclassman was two years older than him.

“So what are we going to learn today, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked.

“How to sit,” he stated.

“Huh?” the upperclassmen said simultaneously.

“You two are going to learn how to sit,” he repeated.

One of the most important aspects of playing the piano is to be free of tension; good posture eliminated tension, which allowed for pianists to play with accuracy, expression, and fluidity. 

Not only that, but it prevented fatigue as well. Experiencing fatigue in the back, arms, hands, and fingers when playing the piano was common, so having good posture helped in that aspect. Fatigue could also lead to injury, and since both of them were volleyball players—Oikawa-san, especially, since he was a setter—it was necessary that they did not injure their fingers.

He also needed to adjust the benches to their heights, determine the appropriate distance between the piano and bench, and work on their hand shape while playing. 

Good posture was something extremely important to develop from the beginning. If they did not work on it, it could become a bad habit. And bad habits were very difficult to correct.

“We’re going to learn how to sit?” Iwaizumi-san questioned.

“Yes.”

Both of them looked at him with confused expressions, but he did not bother explaining further. It would be easier for both of them to understand once they actually worked on their postures.

When the three of them arrived at Oikawa-san’s house, they were immediately met by a woman he assumed to be the setter’s mother and a small boy that he figured was the nephew.

“Welcome home, Tooru, Hajime,” the woman said with a bright smile. “Who’s this?”

“This is Tobio-chan, Okaa-san,” Oikawa-san answered.

His mother's face lit up at the statement. “This is Tobio-chan?” He was startled at the joyful tone of her voice. “He’s absolutely beautiful! No wonder you talk about him so much, Tooru.”

“I do not!” Oikawa-san protested, face slowly turning red.

“Yeah, you do, Tooru,” the little boy argued. “You mention him almost every day during dinner.”

“Shut it, Takeru,” the setter ordered, sputtering as his flushed red even further.

Takeru stuck his tongue and pulled down one of his eyes in retaliation, and he automatically saw the resemblance between uncle and nephew in the act. “You’re a really bad influence, Oikawa-san,” he said bluntly.

“Wha—”

“Pardon the intrusion, Oikawa-san?” he said as he bowed, uncertain how to address his soulmate’s mother.

“Just call me Hanako, dear,” the woman said kindly.

“Thank you for welcoming into your home, Hanako-san,” he tried again, bowing his head. 

“My, you’re so well-mannered. Not at all like my Tooru.”

“Okaa-san,” Oikawa-san squawked in protest.

Tobio raised his head to get a better look at the woman, and was a little thrown off by how much Oikawa-san looked like. The two could practically pass for twins had it not been for the slight wrinkles here and there. The only thing helping him distinguish the two was her hair, which reached her shoulder in bouncy waves, and her shorter height.

“So what are you doing here, Tobio-kun?” Hanako-san asked him after they all migrated to the living room. 

“I’m going to teach Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san how to play Moonlight Sonata on the piano,” he replied.

“The piano?” she questioned, directing a sideways glance at her son. “He never told me about this.”   
  


The setter shrugged. “You never asked.”

“Why would you teach Tooru the piano?” Takeru asked him earnestly, the kid sitting between him and Oikawa-san. “He’s just going to whine about it the whole time.”   
  


“I will not!”

“If he does whine,” Tobio told the little boy, “then I’ll just ignore him.”

“Hey!”

“Shut up, Crappykawa,” Iwaizumi-san said, smirking. “You’re being annoying.”

“Iwa-chan,” the setter whined.

“Why do you have so many piercings?” Takeru questioned, and Tobio was taken aback by the sudden change in conversation. 

He supposed, however, that that was just how children were. He remembered that his attention span was pretty short when he was younger as well. “Because I like having them.”

“Did they hurt?”

“My ear piercings didn’t hurt at all, but my tongue piercing did,” he answered.

“You have a tongue piercing?” the kid exclaimed. “Let me see!”

Takeru’s excitement was adorable enough that Tobio complied to his request, sticking his tongue out to give a full view of his midline piercing.

“That’s so cool! I want one, too!”

Tobio tensed at the word, not knowing what to do to dissuade the kid from it. “Umm, I don’t think you’re old enough.”

“Then when I’m older.”

“You’ll have to ask your parents about that,” he told the little boy.

“Anyways, Takeru,” Oikawa-san said, saving him from further questions, “aren’t you and Okaa-san supposed to go to the mall today?”

“I want to watch Tobio-nii-chan teach you the piano now,” Takeru stated.

“No way, you little brat,” the setter denied, earning a smack in the head from Iwaizumi-san.

“Be nice, Crappykawa.”

“I would like to watch as well, Tooru,” Hanako-san said, her tone not allowing any arguments.

Oikawa-san looked at him with wide eyes, but Tobio only shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

The third-year let out a long-suffering groan. “Great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea of Tooru's family just making fun of him all the time. I mean, it makes sense considering his personality and all.
> 
> For the what I requested in the previous chapter, after reading your comments, I'm not going to make them do something else to earn Tobio's forgiveness. I think that learning the piano is enough, and it seems you all agree with that as well.
> 
> As for the kid Tobio fic, I'm going to write that slowly. I will post it sometime in the future, but don't expect it anytime soon.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be Tobio correcting their postures with Takeru and Hanako-san teasing them along the way.


	74. Chapter Sixty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rather than correcting his posture, however, he felt Oikawa-san’s entire body tense under his touch. 
> 
> He frowned. “Why did you tense up?”
> 
> “Tooru’s blushing!” Takeru screamed, laughing and pointing at his uncle.

In a grand piano, the strings and frame are both horizontal. It was the reason for the instrument’s large body and its full, rich sound. 

A vertical piano, on the other hand, are the pianos that are not a grand piano. In these instruments, the strings and frame are vertical, and the hammer moves horizontally. Hence, their vertical position.

He had expected that the Oikawas would not have a grand piano—most households either have no need for one or enough space for it—and had not been surprised to see that they had a vertical piano. However, he was pleased to see that they had a studio piano.

Of the vertical pianos, studios produced a better sound quality than the spinet and console. Its longer headboard and strings allowed it to have a full-size action, making it easier for pianists to bring out the full range of a piano. It was also easier to play soft pianissimo and resounding fortissimo with a studio.

Granted, he would have preferred a full-size upright, whose soundboard was nearly the size of a baby grand and thus gave it the same power as a baby grand, but he could definitely work with a studio.

Tobio went about checking the condition of the piano, beginning with its tuning. One of the easiest ways to do this was to play the “A” note about the middle “C” note, and the note should vibrate at a rate of 440 times per second.

“Your piano seems to be in tune,” he murmured as he listened to the note.

“How could you tell?” Iwaizumi-san asked.

“I’ve been playing forever,” Tobio said. “I know what a tuned piano sounds like. However,  _ you _ should use an app or something to check it occasionally.”

He then set about opening the lid of the piano, checking for an accumulation of dust on the strings, hammers, and soundboard. Vertical pianos typically did not require as much dusting as grand pianos, but he did not know the last time they had dusted the piano, and it was always better to make sure.

Tobio had nothing to worry about, however, since there was little to no dust inside of the piano. “You must have dusted this often,” he told Hanako-san.

“I try to keep in good condition in the off chance that one of my children wants to try their hand at it,” the mother said with a blush. “It seems as though I was right to do so.

He nodded in agreement before going to check the hammers. The crowns of them seemed to be rounded enough that there should be no harshness to the tone.

Once he deemed everything about the piano okay, he moved onto the piano bench. The fact that it was adjustable made this process much easier for him.

“Which one of you wants to go first?” he asked his soulmates.

“I want to go,” Takeru volunteered with a raised arm.

Tobio had to suppress a smile at the little boy’s enthusiasm. “Maybe later, Takeru,” he told the kid. “Right now, I need to help Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san.”

Takeru pouted and crossed his arms, but eventually drawled, “Alright.”

“I’ll go first, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stated, stepping up to stand beside the bench. “What do you need me to do?”

“Sit down and place your hands on the keyboard,” he instructed. “Make sure to keep your shoulder and elbows relaxed.”

The setter obeyed, and Tobio had to hobble back a bit to get a good look. It was clear by the downward slope of his arm that the bench was adjusted too high for someone of Oikawa-san’s height.

“Stand up,” he ordered the third-year, to which the older boy immediately complied. He turned the knobs on each side simultaneously until he thought it was at an appropriate height. “Sit back down.”

Oikawa-san did so, and hobbled back again to see whether he would have to adjust it further. “What exactly are you looking for, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked.

“Your forearms should be parallel to the floor and your elbows should be at eye-level with the keyboard,” he explained. “It’s easier to move across the keys this way.”

Tobio narrowed his eyes when he observed how Oikawa-san’s elbows were touching his sides.

“Could you move the bench back a bit, Oikawa-san?” he requested.

The setter pushed back against the seat, hands still on the keys. “Does the distance of the bench to the piano matter a lot, Tobio-chan?”   
  


“Your elbows shouldn’t be touching your body,” he stated. “Are your feet flat on the floor?”

“Yes.”   
  


“Have you gotten a sense about the height of the bench and distance from the piano?”

“Yes.”

“Then this should be enough for you, Oikawa-san. You can get off now since I need to adjust it for Iwaizumi-san.”

“Alright, Tobio-chan,” the setter sang.

“My,” Hanako-san exclaimed. “This is the first time I’ve seen you so obedient, Tooru.”

“Okaa-san!” the setter cried. “I’m always obedient.”

“You ignored Okaa-san when she told you to take me to the arcade,” Takeru pointed out, causing Oikawa-san to sputter.

He snorted in amusement at the exchange, but kept his focus on adjusting the bench for Iwaizumi-san. Tobio went through the same process as he did with Oikawa-san until he deemed it satisfactory.   
  


“Is this what you mean by teaching us how to sit?” the wing spiker questioned as he got up.

“Part of it,” he mumbled as he adjusted the piano bench for himself. “You two need to learn proper posture as well.”

“Good posture?” Oikawa-san wondered.

“I’m going to show you what I mean right now,” he stated as he sat on the bench and assumed the proper posture. “When you’re playing the piano, you want to keep your back straight. Your neck should be aligned with your spine, and your shoulders should be relaxed. Your elbows should also be relaxed and you don’t want to be sitting too far back on the bench. Keep your weight on your butt. Your feet should be flat on the floor, but don’t put too much weight on them. Understand?”

“Seems simple enough,” Oikawa-san commented as he rose from the bench.

“Then you should try it first, Oikawa-san,” Tobio told him. “Try adjusting the bench by yourself too.”

“Don’t break the bench, Tooru,” Takeru said.

“I won’t!”

“Make sure to turn the knobs at the same time,” Tobio warned. “Otherwise, the bench will be uneven.”

“Roger that, Tobio-chan,” the setter exclaimed as he adjusted the bench.

Oikawa-san did it decently enough, though Tobio was not going to compliment him for something so simple, and began to sit as he had instructed to do.

Tobio walked over to him with his crutches as he observed the older boy’s posture. He immediately began correcting it, placing two hands on the setter’s shoulder. “Your shoulders are too tense,” he commented, moving on hand onto the older boy’s back, “and your back is too straight. You shouldn’t be sitting rimrod straight, only upright.”

Rather than correcting his posture, however, he felt Oikawa-san’s entire body tense under his touch. 

He frowned. “Why did you tense up?”

“Tooru’s blushing!” Takeru screamed, laughing and pointing at his uncle.

Confusion washed over him as he confirmed that the setter was, in fact, blushing. He could not begin to understand why or what Oikawa-san was embarrassed about, but figured it was because the older boy could not get the proper posture.

“It’s completely normal to not get it from the beginning, Oikawa-san.”

“Right,” the third-year gritted out.

Iwaizumi-san snickered. “I don’t think that’s why he’s blushing, Kageyama.”

“You’re being so adorable, Tooru,” Hanako-san crooned.

“Okaa-san!”

Still confused, Tobio only said, “You should try relaxing your body, Oikawa-san.”

It took numerous more corrections, but the setter eventually had the proper posture.

When it came time for Iwaizumi-san’s turn, the wing spiker had similar problems as well. He gripped the older boy’s elbow and found a lot of tension in the muscles. “You need to relax your elbows, Iwaizumi-san,” he instructed. He moved to place one hand on the spiker’s neck and the other underneath his nape, pushing the neck backwards a bit. “And your neck is too far forward.”

“Right,” Iwaizumi-san said, a little breathless.

Tobio immediately removed his hand. “Was I choking you?”

The older boy stared at him in disbelief before saying, “That’s not it.”

“See, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa-san cried.

He ignored whatever it was the setter was whining about and set about showing them the proper hand position for playing. “When you’re playing the piano, you want your hands to be curved. Kind of like you’re holding an egg. You should hit every note with the tips of your fingers. The thumb is the only finger where you should hit the keys with the side.”

Once both of them were able to play with the correct hand position, Tobio indulged Takeru in his desire to learn the piano—albeit much less strict than he was with his soulmates. 

Takeru needed something underneath his feet, which did not reach the floor, so he substituted a footstool with some stacks of newspaper. The little boy did his best to assume the proper posture and hand position, but there were still mistakes here and there. 

He corrected the kid as gently as he could, trying not to discourage the boy. “You’re doing much better than Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san,” he went so far as to compliment.

Takeru seemed to be incredibly pleased at the words, because he then proceeded to brag to his uncle, who then whined to Tobio about it. 

By the time he left the Oikawa household, he was thoroughly exhausted.

However, he did not mind his soulmates’ company as much as he thought he would be bothered by it. He also did not fail to notice how neither of them uttered a single complaint despite his constant corrections of their postures.

And if he thought that their posture by the end of the lesson was just a tiny, tiny,  _ tiny _ bit beautiful, no one needed to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio being oblivious is amazing. Tooru was literally blushing and he STILL did not understand. I love that part of Tobio's personality.
> 
> Takeru is going to show up occasionally during their piano practices to embarrass Tooru. In fact, some of their teammates (Makki and Mattsun) will show up at some points, too, to make fun of them. However, it'll just be three of them by themselves most of the time.
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	75. Chapter Sixty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Leave him alone,” his cousin instructed, earning himself a seething glare from Tobio. “He’s just in a pissy mood because he didn’t get enough sleep.”
> 
> “It was your fault,” he snarled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really petty chapter and I think it's very typical of siblings.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it.

“You stole my nephew from me, Tobio-chan,” he heard Oikawa-san whine.

On another day, he would have shot back a retort at the complaint. He would have tried to at least tolerate the setter’s personality rather than outright scowling. He would not have glared at the third-year with venom and project his irritation onto an innocent victim.

On another day that was not today.

“Shut up,” he growled, irritation bubbling in his blood and threatening to burst to the surface.

He might have felt guilty at the shocked expression coloring his soulmate’s face but lack of sleep was clouding his judgment at the moment and he could not find it in himself to care. 

“Leave him alone,” his cousin instructed, earning himself a seething glare from Tobio. “He’s just in a pissy mood because he didn’t get enough sleep.”   
  


“It was  _ your _ fault,” he snarled. 

His bastard of a cousin, for some fucking reason, thought it was good idea to dump a bucket of ice-cold water on his head at  _ one in the morning _ . He had almost drowned and had been wrenched from his sleep spluttering for breath.

Tobio had then had to change his sheets, pillows, and blankets lest he wanted to catch a cold, only for the mattress itself to be too wet to sleep on. Before he knew it, he was wide awakened despite desperately chasing sleep.

“You locked me in a closet,” Kentarou retorted. 

“You said you forgave me for that already,” he cried in outrage.

“Like hell I was going to let you off that easily.”

He pouted, a completely childish and immature act that only a five-year-old would resort to in this type of situation, but it was what he did whenever he was too angry for words. He was certain that he tried talking right now, the only words that would escape his lips would be an incoherent string of curses.

Tobio turned his back onto the court, fixing his stare on the wall and glaring at it as though it was the one that offended him.

“You’re acting real fucking mature, Tobio,” Kentarou hissed.

He ignored the bastard, purposely tuning his voice out his head. He had a right to be furious this time, especially considering that he had braved a school full of ghosts to earn the older boy’s forgiveness.

Besides, forcing someone out of their sleep as revenge for being locked in a closet—for an hour at most—was completely uncalled for and unjustified. Kentarou knew how much he valued his sleep, too, so it was an even worse betrayal of his trust.

And he fully realized he was over exaggerating, but he was genuinely angry.

“What? Are you giving me the silent treatment now?” his cousin asked. 

Tobio did not answer him, which was technically the answer to the older boy’s question. He was not going to talk to Kentarou until his cousin apologized to him.

The apology never came, however, and morning practice quickly came to a close. Neither one of them had exchanged a single word during that time, equally content to remain angry with each other.

He had no idea why his cousin might be angry at him, considering that it was him whose sleep had been rudely interrupted by ice-cold water and almost drowning, but he was not going to ask. If Kentarou wanted to be unreasonable, then so be it.

“Hey, Kageyama,” Kunimi asked him cautiously, “are you not going to wait for Kyoutani-san?”

“He could go to hell for all I care,” Tobio snarled, walking alongside the other first-year to their class.

“Kyoutani-san seemed really angry during practice,” his classmates told him. “He could have broken someone’s arm with the way he was spiking.”

“The fuck I care,” he spat.

He could not remember the last time he had been so angry at his cousin—the two of them usually only irritated each other at most.

It had probably been when he was ten and Kentarou was eleven. They had gotten into an argument about who was better than volleyball or something of the like and had refused to speak with each other for an entire week.

Instead, they glared at each other as though that were enough to convey their anger. 

He did not really know how they made up or who apologized to who, but he knew they had been back to playing together as though the argument had never happened in the first place.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you two so angry with each other,” Kunimi commented. “It feels a little weird.”

“Huh?” he demanded.

The tired-eyed boy only shrugged at his harshness. “I mean, you guys argue all the time, but it nevers feels as though there was any hostility or tension,” he explained. “It seems you’re actually angry with each other this time.”

“It’s all that bastard’s fault,” he grumbled underneath his breath. “Who the hell tries to drown someone in their sleep?”

“You locked him in a closet, according to Kyoutani-san,” Kunimi pointed out.    
  


“I apologized for that already,” he snarled. “I risked getting possessed by a ghost for that apology.”   
  


“Is that why you weren’t at morning practice yesterday?” the other boy questioned. “And you actually believe in ghosts?”

“I told you they were real,” was his reply.

Kunimi looked at him like he was crazy. “I thought you were only saying that stuff to annoy your cousin.”   
  
“What use would that be?” he retorted, confusion coating his words.

“I-I don’t know. From the way you two act, it seems like you would do anything to irritate each other.”

“We’ve been living together since I was eight,” he stated with a deadpan expression. “Our very existences already annoy each other.”

“Then it should be easy for you guys to apologize to each other.”

Tobio scowled as he muttered, “I’m not apologizing to him this time. This is his fault to begin with.”

And he was serious, too. His cousin would have to swallow his pride and stubbornness and apology to Tobio.

He had absolutely no problems ignoring the older boy’s existence until Kentarou did so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this fight seems sooo petty and I love it. This is the exact type of argument I would get into with my brother and neither of us would apologize. Kentarou and Tobio are both stubborn as hell too, so this applies even more to them.
> 
> Next chapter will be Akira's perspective, so look forward to it.


	76. Chapter Sixty-Four: Akira's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that he was observing the younger boy without volleyball in the equation, there were many things about Kageyama that he was discovering or becoming more clear about.

It was strange to have Kageyama attending their practices without the blue-eyed boy actually practicing with them. Kageyama not playing volleyball in general was such a strange concept that Akira had a hard time wrapping his mind around it.

He supposed, however, that he should get used to the idea since there was no chance for the former setter to ever play the sport again.

Now that he was observing the younger boy without volleyball in the equation, there were many things about Kageyama that he was discovering or becoming more clear about.

For one, he had never expected the blue-eyed boy to be a pianist.

Akira had been shocked beyond words when he had heard the announcement from the principal, unable to even conceive the notion of it. It was rude, but he could not really understand how someone who seemed to lack so many emotions could play such an expressive instrument.

Out of curiosity, he had searched up the piano competition that he won to confirm the fact that he actually did. And sure enough, the website had clearly displayed Kageyama’s name and picture as the winner.

He then remembered how the other boy mentioned that he had been playing since he was a child, and decided to search his name up on the internet.

Akira could not have prepared himself for how many articles had been written about the blue-eyed boy. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of them described Kageyama as a piano prodigy with countless awards and achievements under his belt. There were pictures of when he was as young as five years old, holding the first place trophy of whatever competition he had just won. 

Another thing he had never known about Kageyama, Kyoutani-san was his cousin.

He had been curious about the two’s relationship ever since he had first seen them together, and had assumed they were dating or something similar to that. However, them being cousins made a lot of sense once he started thinking about it.

Both of them were short-tempered, sharp-tongued, blunt, stubborn, and brash. Even if they looked nothing alike, the familial resemblance was embedded in the very foundation of their personalities. 

It was amusing whenever the two were together and Akira often found entertainment in their exchange of insults and swearing.

Kageyama swore. A lot.

He swore the most whenever he was angry or irritated, and Akira had learned to read his moods by the amount of curses in his sentences.

Despite his foul mouth, however, Kageyama was surprisingly naive about...everything.

The first time he had heard the younger boy talking about the existence of ghosts, Akira had thought that he was just saying that nonsense to annoy his cousin. He would have never imagined that the other boy genuinely believed in the existence of those supernatural beings. 

Moreover, he seemed to be terrified of them.

Akira had actually witnessed a girl confessing to the blue-eyed boy one day, and the younger looked as though he barely knew what was happening. When he had returned to the classroom, Akira had questioned him whether he understood what the girl was asking of him.

The reply he received: “She said she wanted to go out with me. She didn’t say where, and I didn’t think it was a good idea to go to an unknown place with a stranger, so I declined her offer.”

Akira had then had to explain what that girl had been trying to say and he had never seen anyone blush as hard as Kageyama had in that moment. 

Which led to his next discovery: Kageyama had a severe lack of understanding social cues.

He had known that the younger boy was unsociable and awkward, but he had never realized to what extent until he saw him talking with a girl outside the gym.

The girl, one of Oikawa-san’s fangirls, had asked Kageyama to hand the setter a bag of cookies. Instead of taking it like any  _ normal _ person would and comply with the girl’s request, the pianist had only stared at the girl as though she were dumb.

His exact words were, “Oikawa-san is an athlete. Why would you hand him junk food when he’s practicing?”

Oikawa-san had to actually step in before the girl slapped Kageyama across the face. And the worst part of it, the younger boy did not even know what was wrong with his question. He was actually confused as to why something like that was inappropriate to say in that type of situation.

He had actually pouted when Akira explained to him why that was wrong.

It was another thing he had learned about the former setter: Kageyama was childish.

As in, extremely so. Proven by his current fight with his cousin.

From his understanding, the younger boy was mad at Kyoutani-san because the wing spiker had made him wake up at one in the morning by dunking water on his head. And although Akira knew better than anyone the value of sleep, he thought the silent treatment had been going a bit too far.

The younger boy had refused to even  _ look _ at his cousin, turning his head away and pouting whenever the two made eye contact. It was obvious to anyone that Kageyama was not going to apologize anytime soon.

It had been going on for almost three day already and, by this point, every player had gotten tired of Kyoutani-san's awful mood during practice. Which was why Iwaizumi-san had to pull the wing spiker aside and lecture him about his attitude.

Something about that conversation must have convinced Kyoutani-san because the wing spiker made his first attempt to speak with his cousin since their fight began.

“Who’s going to bet that they’ll end up in a fist fight?” Matsukawa-san wagered. 

“I doubt it,” Hanamaki-san reasoned. “No matter how violent Kyoutani is, he’s extra careful with his cousin. He wouldn’t risk Tobio-chan hurting his leg.”

Akira was positive that Hanamaki-san only called Kageyama “Tobio-chan” because the nickname annoyed Oikawa-san. It seemed to work, too, because the setter was now whining about it. Again.

“I don’t think they’ll actually apologize, though,” Hanamaki-san added. “Both of them are too stubborn.”   
  


“Whatever they do,” Oikawa-san huffed, “Kyouken-chan to stop with his awful attitude. At this rate, I’m going to ban him from practice.”

The setter was so frivolous most of the time that Akira often forgot that he was the Captain. As such, he was surprised whenever Oikawa-san actually acted like one.

“What do you think, Kunimi?” Matsukawa-san asked him.

“Why are you asking me?”   
  


“Because you seem to spend the most time with Kageyama.”

“That’s just because we’re in the same class. It’s not as though I know that much about him.”

“You at least have an idea, don’t you?” Hanamaki-san questioned.

Before Akira could ask what the upperclassmen meant by that, he saw Kageyama turning away from Kyoutani-san and crutching out of the gym.

“Looks like Kyouken-chan failed,” Oikawa-san commented.

“We’ll have to deal with his attitude for a few more days, huh?” Iwaizumi-san sighed.

All of sudden, however, Kyoutani-san yelled out, “Pork curry!” causing Kageyama to stop in his tracks. “I’ll give you my portion of pork curry tonight.”

Almost comically, the younger boy turned around and hopped back to where his cousin stood with sparkling eyes. “Really? Are you serious? You promise, right?”

Kyoutani-san nodded. “I promise.” 

Kageyama’s lips wobbled into what seemed like a smile as he offered, “Then I’ll give you my hisashi chicken the next time Mizuki-san makes it.”

“I’ll remember that,” Kyoutani said, but his eyes were shining with the same excitement as Kageyama’s were. 

Both of them left the gym with a noticeably happier atmosphere surrounding the two.

“I feel like we just saw something precious,” Matsukawa-san stated.

“Tobio-chan is so cute,” Oikawa-san groaned. 

  
  
“Stop your simping, Oikawa,” Hanamaki-san said.

“Mean, Makki!”

Akira ignored the setter’s whining when he remembered Hanamaki-san’s question from earlier. “Um, Hanamaki-san, what did you mean by me having an idea?”   
  


The upperclassman gave him an odd look. “I mean, you two are friends, aren’t? So you should be able to guess how he would react.”

Taken aback, Akira could only stare at the older boy in surprise.

Was that what it looked like to an outsider’s perspective? That he and Kageyama were friends?

He and Kageyama had been talking to each other more lately during breaks and practice, and they had been eating lunch together quite frequently. However, that was all because his leg had been fractured, preventing him from moving around much. 

They had been texting each other about homework, but that was just to pass their classes. 

Even their meetings outside of school were usually the result of some team bonding plan concocted by Oikawa-san. The only reason Akira chose to sit by Kageyama was because the younger boy was quiet and he enjoyed his company.

  
Wait a minute—when  _ had _ he and Kageyama become friends?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this was exactly what I had intended to do with Kunimi and Tobio's friendship. Both of them spending more time together and before either of them knew it, they're friends.
> 
> Kunimi trying to make excuses for why he was spending time with Tobio is funny to me because him doing that in the canon version as well.
> 
> Also, Tobio and Kyoutani are both so simple-minded that it's hilarious. Just the mention of their favorite foods can make them forgive each other.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this fun little chapter.


	77. Chapter Sixty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then how will we know if we’re playing it wrong?” the setter whined.
> 
> “I’ll correct you if it sounds wrong,” he assured them.
> 
> “Is it easy to play?” Iwaizumi-san asked.
> 
> “It’s a relatively slow song and I did print you the easy version,” he stated. “So, yes, it should be easy to play.”

Over the course of the week since their piano lessons began, they had yet to even start practicing the actual piece in question.

Instead, he had spent the past few days teaching them the very basics of the piano, such as correct fingering, the different notations, terminology, as well as reading sheet music. There was no way he would have allowed them to start playing Moonlight Sonata without knowing those things first.

His soulmates should do at least that much if they wanted to earn his forgiveness.

An understanding of the basics would also make it much easier for them to play the piece when they actually started learning it, which they were going to begin today.

“Here are the music sheets for Moonlight Sonata,” he said, handing the pieces of paper. “I’m only giving you the ones for the first movement for now. Once you’re able to play that, I’ll give you the sheets for the second movement.”

“Are we done with the basics then, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“For now,” he admitted. “You two are decent enough to start playing.”

His lips twitched in amusement at the obviously relieved expression on the setter. He had been quite...strict about it, refusing to even let them move on until he deemed their understanding of the basics satisfactory enough.

“The first movement is mainly pianissimo with a few crescendos, but you need to have a good sense of rhythm,” Tobio explained. “The ostinato is especially important in this movement.”

“Pianissimo is when you play the song very softly, right?” Iwaizumi-san asked. “Crescendo is when it gets louder and an ostinato is a melody that’s repeated over and over.”

“That is correct.”

He was not really bothered by the interruption since he had only given them a few days to memorize the terminology. Considering that they were complete amateurs, he understood that it was very easy to jumble them up.

“It should be about seven minutes long,” he continued, “and should be quiet and somber if played correctly.”

“Could you play it for us, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san requested. “So that we know what it sounds like.”

“No,” he automatically declined. “I don’t want my playing to influence yours. And the first movement is instantly recognizable, so you shouldn’t have any problems knowing what should sound like.”

Beginners of the piano were generally very impressionable to the playing of pianists that were more experienced than them. It was not uncommon for beginners to try to recreate the sounds of advanced players and that would result in them becoming frustrated when they are unable to do so.

However, it was obvious that someone who had just started learning would not be able to match with someone who has trained for years. Tobio did not want his soulmates to think that they should be playing how he played the song.

“Then how will we know if we’re playing it wrong?” the setter whined.

“I’ll correct you if it sounds wrong,” he assured them.

“Is it easy to play?” Iwaizumi-san asked.

“It’s a relatively slow song and I did print you the easy version,” he stated. “So, yes, it should be easy to play.”

“Is there a hard version?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“Yes.”

“Are we going to have to play that version, Tobio-chan?” his soulmate asked.

“Eventually.”

Oikawa-san pursed his lips. “Then why can’t we just play the hard version?”

“Because you need to get used to moving your fingers first,” Tobio said.

He thought that the best way for them to learn the movement was to get them familiarized with the melody and have a general grasp of the fingering first. Once they have those things down, then it will be easier for them to play the hard version.

  
“I’m making this easier for you,” he commented when it looked like Oikawa-san was going to argue.

Iwaizumi-san smacked the setter on the back of the head, eliciting a whine from the brown-haired boy. “Don’t complain, Shittykawa.”

“I wasn’t going to!” the third-year protested. “Why do you automatically assume the worst of me?”  
  


“Because your personality is shit, Oikawa-san,” Tobio supplied helpfully.

“So rude, Tobio-chan!” the setter cried. “You two are just jealous of my charming self.”

Both he and Iwaizumi-san snorted. “There’s nothing to be jealous about, Shittkawa,” the wing spiker stated. “Especially when that so-called charm you speak of doesn’t exist.”

“Now, if you’re done whining,” he drawled, “could we get started with the movement?”

“I wasn’t whining!” Oikawa-san whined, proving his point.

Tobio rolled his eyes, ignoring the setter and turning his attention to his other soulmate. “Would you like to get started first, Iwaizumi-san?”  
  


“Sure.”

He watched as Iwaizumi-san adjusted the piano bench and distance to suit his height, assuming the proper posture—he had absolutely refused to teach them anything else before they perfected it. The wing spiker spread the sheets out in front of him and began playing without looking down.

Another thing he had refused to compromise on: he made them memorize the placement of every key and did not move on until they could play each without looking.

As expected, the wing spiker was playing it slower than it was meant to be played. Tobio did not find a problem with that at the moment, considering the first play-through is usually to grasp the melody. However...

“You’re missing some keys, Iwaizumi-san,” he pointed out. 

It was nothing that noticeable, but people would be able to sense a feeling of offness when listening. 

“I can’t seem to move my fingers fast enough,” the wing spiker told him, frowning at his hands.

“That’s because you don’t have enough dexterity in your fingers,” he informed the older boy. 

“Is dexterity important?” Iwaizumi-san asked him.

“It’s important for speed and accuracy,” he answered. “I’ll try to prepare some exercises for you to improve it, but for now, I want to hear Oikawa-san playing it.”

“Okey-dokey,” Oikawa-san crooned, causing him to scowl.

Like Iwaizumi-san, Oikawa-san played it slowly as he read the notes from the sheets. Unlike Iwaizumi-san, however, the setter does not have much trouble with missing the keys. Instead…

“Your notes are uneven, Oikawa-san.”

The clarity of the notes varied, sometimes too soft and sometimes too loud. There was no consistency and it was a bit odd to listen to.

“They’re either too soft or too loud and it keeps changing as you play,” he explained.

“I don’t know how to fix that,” the setter stated, wrinkling his nose in annoyance.

“That’s exactly why I’m here,” Tobio stated dryly. “I’ll figure out a way for you to play evenly.”

“You’re putting in a lot more effort in teaching us than I expected, Tobio-chan.”  
  


“That’s quite rude, Oikawa-san,” he retorted. “And I’m only putting this much effort because you seem sincere in wanting to learn the piano. If you had been complaining about it the whole time, then I wouldn’t even be here.”

“You’re quite strict, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san said.

“I plan to give my life to the piano,” Tobio stated, completely serious. “If I wasn’t strict about it, then I would have no right to play it. Now, let’s get back to practicing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote this chapter with the purpose of showing that Tooru and Hajime are clearly trying their best to play the piece, and thus earn Tobio's forgiveness. Tobio also clearly sees that and acknowledges it as well, which I think is good for the progress of their relationship.
> 
> At the same time, I also wanted to show that Tobio is clearly giving them a chance. He's taken the time to instill the foundations of playing the piano, and even goes as far as to help them with their individual struggles. Granted, he's only doing it because of his own pride as pianist for now, but I'm hoping to develop that into him genuinely wanting to help them.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	78. Chapter Sixty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tobio-nii-chan is going to eat with us? Really? I’m so excited!”
> 
> Faced with the pure happiness radiating from the younger boy, he could not find it in himself to put a damper on his mood. In absolute defeat, Tobio could resign himself to say, “I would love to join you for dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys. This just a fun little transition chapter for the next one.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it.

“Will you be staying over for dinner, Tobio-kun?” Hanako-san asked him.

He had been packing his bag and getting ready to put on his shoes when the Oikawa approached him with the offer. Tobio had been so surprised by it that he dropped the shoe he was holding, whipping his head around thinking he heard that wrong.

“Huh?”

Hanako-san only smiled at him—the gentle kind that reminded him of his aunt and uncle and Tadaaki-san—and repeated, “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

He cursed his lack of communication skills as he wracked his brain for a way to decline the offer without sounding offensive. Teaching Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san was one thing, but having dinner with them was another. He would still rather not spend more time with them than necessary.

Seeing his hesitance, Hanako-san added, “I’d like to thank you for teaching my son. Especially when you’re doing it for free.”

He was about to assure her that thanks were unnecessary and that she had nothing to worry about, but then Takeru came charging from the kitchen. The child jumped around in joy as he screamed, “Tobio-nii-chan is going to eat with us? Really? I’m so excited!”

Faced with the pure happiness radiating from the younger boy, he could not find it in himself to put a damper on his mood. In absolute defeat, Tobio could resign himself to say, “I would love to join you for dinner.”

He made a mental note to not underestimate the power of children in the future.

Unsure of what he should be doing, he wondered whether he should be helping with the food or sitting. He thought he would only get in the way if he tried to help with anything with his crutches, but it would be rude to simply sit and wait for the food, so he was left standing awkwardly at the entrance of the kitchen.

“Why are you still here, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked him once he came down from the second floor. 

Both he and their other soulmate had gone to get changed out of their uniforms and the wing spiker was now wearing sweatpants with a plain, black T-shirt. The older boy exuded a much more laid back aura in casual attire, contrary to his usually serious atmosphere.

“Tobio-nii-chan is having dinner with us!” Takeru yelled cheerfully.

“You...are?” his soulmate questioned, surprise evident in his expression.

Tobio grimaced. “I couldn’t say no when Takeru seemed so excited.”   
  
“Come sit down with me, Tobio-nii-chan,” the child urged him, pulling him by his shirt. 

“Be considerate, Takeru,” Hanako-san chided. “Tobio-kun is in crutches. What would happen if he lost his balance and hurt himself?”

“Ah, I’m fine,” he assured the woman. “I’m used to having crutches. I won’t fall over from something like this.”

“Come sit! Come sit!”

Finding amusement in the boy’s enthusiasm, Tobio complied with the request and hopped over to sit in the chair directly next to Takeru. For some reason, the little boy’s personality eerily reminded him of his cousin’s when they were younger—Kentarou was much more aggressive, however.

“Why is Tobio-chan still here?” Oikawa-san asked as he entered the kitchen.

The setter had changed into a beige, long-sleeved tee with a ridiculous alien design and plain black pajama pants. There was a mixture of curiosity and confusion in his expression as he took in the scene.

“He’s going to be having dinner with us,” Iwaizumi-san answered for him.

“Tobio-chan is?” Oikawa-san seemed to look at him, to which he nodded in confirmation.

The upperclassman appeared as though he wanted to say something else when Takeru interrupted him before he got the chance. “Tobio-nii-chan, can I see your earrings?”   
  
“Sure,” he agreed easily. Not that he really could have denied the kid when his eyes were shining so brightly. 

Reaching up to his ears, he took out his stud earring and handed them to the kid. The earrings were small—only about 8 millimeters—made of 1.0 carat sapphires and 14kt white gold. He had gotten them for his birthday from his aunt, who claimed that they color would make his eyes pop more. 

His hoop earrings, on the other hand, were more simple in terms of design. They were made of platinum and counted up to three in total. With the prices combined together, they cost more than his pair of stud earrings.

Takeru looked at them in awe as he placed the five earrings in the palm of the kid’s hands. “They look so cool and shiny,” the ten-year-old breathed.

“Careful not to drop them, Takeru,” Oikawa-san warned. “You’ll have to pay for them if you do.”   
  


“I won’t!” the setter’s nephew argued. “I’m not clumsy like you, Tooru.”

The setter marched over to the kid, digging his knuckles into the child's hair and eliciting a whine from the little boy. “You’ve been quite rude to me lately, you little brat. I’m thinking it’s about time I teach you a lesson.”   
  


“Hey!” Takeru yelled as the third-year plucked Tobio’s earrings from his hand.

“These are pretty, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san complimented. “Are they made of silver or something? How much did they cost?”

“The studs are made sapphire and white gold, and the hoops are platinum,” he answered nonchalantly. “If I had to estimate, the total cost of the five of them combined would be about three thousand dollars.”

“Three thousand?” Iwaizumi-san barked.

“He-here you go, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stuttered, carefully placing them back into his hands. “You-you should put them back on before you lose them.”

Although he was confused by the sudden nervousness of both of his soulmates, Tobio curled his fingers around his earrings as they were placed in his palm.

“I was still looking at them!” Takeru protested, pinching his uncle’s abdomen.

“Not anymore you’re not,” Oikawa-san stated, his complexion a bit pale.

“Can I look at them again, Tobio-nii-chan?” the little boy pleaded with him, sticking his tongue out at his uncle.

“Don’t be a brat, Takeru,” the setter scolded.

Tobio shrugged, giving the earrings back to the child. “I don’t mind. He can look at them if he wants.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to trust a ten-year-old with things that are so expensive,” Iwaizumi-san told him.

He blinked, wondering what was so bad about it. “Why? My aunt and uncle gave me things that were much more expensive when I was eight.”

“Expensive how?” Oikawa-san questioned, his complexion still a bit pale.

“I don’t really know,” he said, furrowing his brows as thought about it. “I remember Mizuki-san buying me and Kentarou a ten-thousand dollar painting when we said it looked cool. I also told you before that my uncle gave me my credit card when I was ten.”

“Then is your family really rich, Tobio-nii-chan,” Takeru asked him, excitement rolling off him in waves.

“I’d say so,” he answered the kid.

“You’re so cool!” the little boy exclaimed.

“You’re really weird, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san breathed.

“Huh?” he demanded.

When he turned his attention to the upperclassman, he noted that both of his soulmates were a bit pale and frozen in place.

In his opinion, they were the weird ones in this situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so Tobio being so casual about how rich he is will never get old. And the fact that he doesn't see anything strange with it is what makes it even more funny.
> 
> AND THE FACT THAT HE THINKS TOORU AND HAJIME ARE THE WEIRD ONES! 
> 
> Also, Takeru is adorable and Tobio not being able to say no to him is also amazing. 
> 
> The next chapter will be Tobio having dinner with Oikawa's family and Hajime, so look forward to it.


	79. Chapter Sixty-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignoring the bickering of his son and grandson, Daisuke-san turned to Tobio and asked, “How is it teaching my son and Hajime?”
> 
> “Iwaizumi-san is fine, but Oikawa-san whines a lot,” he stated bluntly. “It’s kind of annoying.”
> 
> Daisuke-san started chuckling at that. “I’m not surprised considering it’s my son we’re talking about. I find him annoying sometimes, too.”
> 
> “Otou-san! Tobio-chan!” the setter cried, feigning hurt.

When he had been invited to stay for dinner and when he agreed to the request, he had assumed that it would be limited to his soulmates, Takeru, and Hanako-san. For some reason, he had not thought about having to dine with the addition of Oikawa-san’s father, sister, and brother-in-law as well.

It was a mistake, he soon realized, because he had not been prepared for the curious stares directed his way. 

Uncomfortable with the attention, he could not help but fidget in his seat as they waited for the food to be done. An awkward tension descended upon the dining table as the silence stretched and stretched and stretched.

Although he was usually irritated with Oikawa-san’s incessant chattering, he desperately wished that his soulmate would say...something to break this heavy atmosphere. It was just his luck that the setter chose this time to be quiet.

And Takeru, who had not stopped talking since he had finished his piano lesson with his soulmates, seemed content with simply humming in his seat. 

Tobio had already known the fact before, but he was certain that the universe had a vendetta against him or something. 

Eventually, after what seemed like hours of staring and his heart racing, it was Oikawa-san’s father who cut through the quietness of the dining table by clearing his throat. “So, Tooru, Hajime,” the man began, “would you two like to introduce our guest?”

“Everyone, this is Tobio-chan,” the setter introduced. “Tobio-chan, this is my father, sister, and brother-in-law.”

“Ni-nice to meet your acquaintance,” Tobio stammered out, almost wincing at the excessively polite greeting. It had been a habit he developed after meeting countless business partners of his uncle and aunt when he was younger, and it seemed to turn his head occasionally whenever he was nervous.

Keeping his eye firmly planted on the table, he did not even lift his head when Oikawa-san’s sister cooed, “He’s just absolutely breathtaking, isn’t he? How did my stupid little brother even become friends with someone so beautiful?”

His entire body heating at the compliment, he kept his mouth shut as to not stutter out something stupid and embarass himself further. However, he got an odd sense of deja vu at the similarity between the mother’s and daughter’s reaction to him.

“I’m not stupid, Nee-chan,” Oikawa-san protested. 

His sister ignored him as she asked, “So Tobio-chan, what are you doing at our house?”

“Having dinner,” he stated. It must have been the wrong thing to say, however, since the dining table returned to its previous silence.

He was saved, though, when both of his soulmates burst out laughing. “She didn’t mean it so literally, Tobio-chan,” the setter chuckled. 

Tobio finally looked up then, unable to understand what was so amusing about his anwer. “But that’s what I’m doing here,” he frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“Hanako-san invited him to stay for dinner after our piano lesson ended,” Iwaizumi-san said to Oikawa-san’s sister. 

“You’ve been taking piano lessons?” Oikawa-san’s father questioned his son. “How come I never knew about this?”   
  


Now that he was getting a good look at the man, Tobio noticed that he looked nothing like Oikawa-san. His hair color was much lighter than the setter’s, his eyes darker, and where Oikawa-san’s features were softer, his was harsher. 

“Because it’ll just be another thing for you to make fun of me for!” his soulmate whined.

“I’ve been learning from Tobio-nii-chan, too,” Takeru volunteered enthusiastically. “He says that I’m better than both Tooru and Hajime-nii-chan.”

“Is that so?” the boy’s father mused.

“Yep!” the child confirmed, nodding his head. “He says that Tooru and Hajime-nii-chan make a lot more mistakes than I do.”

Tobio pursed his lips, purposely avoiding Oikawa-san’s narrowed eyes at the revelation. He had said those things to indulge Takeru, but he was not exactly lying when he told the child that he did not make as many mistakes—granted, his occasional lessons with Takeru were at much easier level than his soulmates’ were, but that was entirely irrelevant.

“So you play the piano, Tobio-kun,” the father asked. 

“I’ve been playing since before I was five...er…”   
  


“Just call me Daisuke,” the man supplied.

“Daisuke-san,” he finished.

“No wonder I thought you looked familiar!” Oikawa-san’s sister suddenly exclaimed as she stood up from her chair and ran into the living room.

“Where are you going, Yumiko?” her husband yelled, just as confused as everyone else.

Yumiko-san, as he had just learned, reappeared a moment later with a rolled up newspaper in hand. She apologized as she sat down, explaining, “I’m an editor for a newspaper, you see, and I so happened to have edited the section about your win at the All Japan National Students’ Piano Contest. That’s where I recognized you from, see?”

She presented an entire page of the newspaper to the table, a picture of him holding up his trophy taking up a decent chunk of the page. And if Tobio had been blushing before, it was nothing compared to how red he was now.

It was not as though this were a strange occurrence or anything. In fact, it had been very common for him to appear in the newspaper when he was younger and attending more competitions. However, it was extremely embarrassing to have it shown to him so enthusiastically.

“You were in the newspaper, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked as Yumiko-san handed his soulmate the article. “How come you didn’t say anything?”   
  


He shrugged, refusing to meet anyone’s stare. “It’s common for the winner of piano competitions to appear in the newspaper,” he explained. “It happened a lot when I was younger.”

“Tobio-nii-chan is super cool,” Takeru screamed. “And he has piercings! Hey, Okaa-san, can I get piercings, too?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, sweetheart,” Yumiko-san told the kid, not seeming to be too pleased about it.

“Why not?”

“Because it will hurt,” the child’s father stated.   
  


“Tobio-nii-chan said only his tongue piercing hurt. Ear piercings don’t,” Takeru argued.

Tobio grimaced. If he had known Takeru would want piercing so badly after seeing his own, he would have left them at home. He should be more careful about his words when speaking to the kid from now on.

“You’d look ugly with them, Takeru,” Oikawa-san said, sticking his tongue out.

“I would not!”

Ignoring the bickering of his son and grandson, Daisuke-san turned to Tobio and asked, “How is it teaching my son and Hajime?”   
  


“Iwaizumi-san is fine, but Oikawa-san whines a lot,” he stated bluntly. “It’s kind of annoying.”

Daisuke-san started chuckling at that. “I’m not surprised considering it’s my son we’re talking about. I find him annoying sometimes, too.”

“Otou-san! Tobio-chan!” the setter cried, feigning hurt. 

“They didn’t say anything wrong, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi-san said dryly. “You are annoying.”

“And an idiot,” Yumiko-san supplied helpfully.

“And mean!” Takeru added.

“Why are you all ganging up on me?” the third-year whined.

“Stop whining, Tooru,” Hanako-san ordered as she approached the table with a pot in hand. “It’s time to eat.”

“Why do you all hate me?” Oikawa-san muttered, causing everyone at the table to laugh.

He did not know what he had expected Oikawa-san’s family to be like, he did not know what kind environment his soulmate had been raised in to develop such a frivolous personality, but the impression he had of what he had seen so far was of a caring and loving home.

Surrounded by his soulmates and Oikawa-san’s family, he realized that it was not much different than his own home. Much more relaxed than before, he found that he did not mind the unfamiliar atmosphere. He even enjoyed listening to the bickering and light conversations.

  
Tobio did not allow himself to dwell on  _ that _ thought more than necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio talking with Tooru's family is development. Him being comfortable with Tooru's family might be the first step to him being more open-minded about accepting Hajime and Tooru as his soulmate.
> 
> Also, I kind of love how awkward Tobio is at the beginning of this chapter. I'm sure that everyone who's had to meet their significant other's parents/family can relate to that (not that I would know about that 😂😔).
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next two chapter will be in Hajime's and Tooru's perspective, so look forward to that. 
> 
> Future chapters will be more centered other people's perspective, in fact. I think by this point, we understand a lot of Tobio's thought process and everything. Of course, it will still be mainly Tobio's perspective, but I will including other perspectives more frequently from now on.


	80. Notice

I'm sorry to say this, but I've hit a case of writer's block. 

I was writing the next chapter for this story when I realized how awful the quality of it was.

For the past few chapters, I've been noticing that my writing is not the quality I want it to be. I have a general idea of where the story will go from here, but the problem is the details (like the emotions, thoughts, and interactions of the characters).

Therefore, I will be taking a short break to get over this. I expect that I should be back to writing before January 5. 

Thank you for your understanding and support.


	81. Chapter Sixty-Eight: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although Tobio-chan said he would give them a chance, he knew that forgiveness was not so easily earned. 
> 
> It was why the sight before him was so reassuring. Watching his youngest soulmate interacting with his family and eating at the same table as them brought hope to his heart for the future of their relationship.

Tooru was not blind—he knew that the blue-eyed boy was barely tolerating them despite agreeing to teach them. It was apparent from the way he tensed every time they accidentally brushed against him and the way he furrowed his brows every time they tried to initiate a conversation beyond the piano.

Although Tobio-chan said he would give them a chance, he knew that forgiveness was not so easily earned. 

It was why the sight before him was so reassuring. Watching his youngest soulmate interacting with his family and eating at the same table as them brought hope to his heart for the future of their relationship. 

He had been worried when tension and awkwardness practically drenched the atmosphere. Tobio-chan had been quite obviously uncomfortable and it did not help that his family had been openly gawking at him.

Tooru could not blame them, though. His soulmate was dressed in a white fitted, button-down shirt that was rolled up to the elbows and unbuttoned at the top two slots, revealing the sharpness of his collarbones and a black undershirt beneath. One side of it was tucked into a pair of jeans, a belt strapped around the waist. The outfit did little to hide his lean and toned figure, and only emphasized the blueness of his eyes and bright complexion. 

Gorgeous could not even begin to describe him and the  _ piercings _ ...Tooru could never get tired of seeing his soulmate in piercings.

He was not ashamed to admit that he, too, had been too busy staring at Tobio-chan to actually help relieve the awkwardness. It was only when his father actually asked for introductions did he snap out his reverie and by the time the food was ready, the blue-eyed boy was noticeably much more relaxed.

So much so that he was now shoving food down his throat without reserve. Granted, it was in a much more civilized manner than what Tooru had witnessed beforehand.

“It’s nice to see someone enjoy my food so much,” his mother gushed. “No one in this household ever compliments my cooking.”

Tooru nearly rolled his eyes—he had inherited his overdramatic nature from her. “I complimented your cooking just this morning, Okaa-san,” he informed her.

She ignored his comment, opting instead to ask Tobio-chan, “Are my son and Hajime any good at the piano? You’ve been teaching them for a week, after all.”

“Both of them suck—” the pianist stated bluntly.

“We’ve only been learning for a week!” Tooru protested.

“—but they’re doing better than I expected,” the younger boy finished, utterly ignoring the interruption and eating his food.

“How long have you been playing the piano, Tobio-kun?” Yumiko questioned. “I’m sure that I’ve heard your name before this year.”

“Since I was three. I won a lot of contests in elementary school.”

“Your mother and father must be proud,” his mother said.

“My mom lost custody of me when I was eight and my father died before I was born.”

A heavy suddenly descended upon the table and Tooru could only gape at his soulmate, who had revealed something so serious and personal with the most nonchalant voice. He did not even seem bothered by it and was eating away at his food without problem.

“That’s not something you say so casually, Tobio-chan,” he exclaimed.

The younger boy actually tilted his head in confusion. “Why not?” 

He was speechless, sputtering for a way to explain exactly why. He knew beforehand that his soulmate was completely tactless and lacked an understanding of social cues, but this...this was just unbelievable.

His father was the one who saved him from the explanation, clearing his throat in an attempt to lighten the air. “Then do you live with your relatives, Tobio-kun?”

Tobio-chan nodded. “My aunt and uncle and cousin. I was supposed to live by myself but I ended up hurting my leg again.”

“Isn’t it dangerous for you to live by yourself?” his mother questioned, obviously worried and rightly so.

Tooru was also worried. It did not sit well with him that Tobio-chan was living by himself, especially considering the way he hurt his leg again. He was only fifteen years old, far from a suitable age to live alone.

“The apartment complex has very high security,” the blue-eyed boy assured them. “Everyone that enters has to have their IDs checked and there are cameras all over the building. There’s also a bunch of bodyguards, too.”

“Aren’t your aunt and uncle concerned about you living by yourself?” his sister asked, also displeased at the thought.

“My uncle owns the building and visits often,” Tobio-chan stated. “Their house is only a twenty-minute walk away and the staff have explicit orders to watch over me.”

“Your uncle owns a building?” Takeru exclaimed. “That’s so cool!”

“Your uncle owns a building, Kageyama?” Hajime repeated, his tone much more serious than the ten-year-old’s excited one.

“He owns multiple. I didn’t tell you?” 

“ _ No _ ,” Tooru stressed. He would have remembered if the younger boy did.

“Oh,” was all he said before he returned to eating.

Unbelievable. “You’re completely oblivious, aren’t you, Tobio-chan?” he said dryly.

His youngest soulmate was probably the most oblivious person he had ever met. Despite how obvious Tooru and Hajime had been about their jealousy—to the point that even his cousin had realized—the younger boy seemed clueless as to their behavior. There was also the way he would occasionally touch them during piano lessons and being confused every time they reacted the way they did—he was going to be the death of them.

“Huh?” the blue-eyed boy demanded, scowling and glaring. 

“Don’t be a bully, Tooru, you idiot,” Takeru yelled. 

He narrowed his eyes at his nephew, who had grown much more impudent in recent months. “I am not an idiot, you little brat,” Tooru huffed. “I’ll have you know I’m the top of my class?”

“You are?” Tobio-chan blurted, surprise evident in his features.

He gasped in offense, especially when he heard Hajime snicker beside him. “I don’t want to hear that from you, Tobio-chan,” he exclaimed. “I’ve seen your grades in junior high. If anyone’s the idiot, it’s you!”

“I am not an idiot!” the younger boy protested. 

“Your grades were pretty bad, Kageyama,” Hajime conceded.

Tobio-chan pouted and it was such an adorable sight that Tooru almost cooed out loud. “Why does everyone think I’m an idiot because of my grades?” he asked. “The only reasons I never get good grades is because I sleep in class all the time!”

“That’s not something you admit so proudly, Kageyama,” Hajime said, laughing when the younger furrowed his brows in irritation.

“Who’s the one teaching you two?” the younger boy snapped.

“You’ll obviously know more than us when you’ve been playing for years, Tobio-chan. But that doesn’t make you smart.”

Tobio-chan scowled. “It’s called selective intelligence.”

“That’s not a thing, Tobio-chan,” he stated dryly. “I don’t know you’re able to say something like that so shamelessly.”

“And I don’t know you’re able to act so childishly at eighteen years old,” Tobio-chan drawled, a bite in his voice, “but here we are.”

“I am not childish!” Tooru argued.

“That’s exactly what someone childish would say,” the younger boy retorted.

At a loss for words, Tooru could only gape at his soulmate, who was scowling and glaring at him in irritation. The entire dining table erupted into laughter at his expense, teasing him about how he had been rendered speechless.

Dinner ended shortly after that, Tobio-chan leaving only a few moments later. His attendant had arrived to drive him home, and Tooru and Hajime were currently seeing him out the door.

“Sorry if my family made you uncomfortable, Tobio-chan,” he apologized. “They can be a lot sometimes.”

“They are your family, Oikawa-san, so I’m not surprised.”

He was about to whine at those words, but the sight of a smile gracing his youngest soulmate’s lips had him shutting his mouth.

The corners of his mouth were slightly tilted upwards, teeth hidden with his lips closed, and it crinkled the corners of his eyes. It flexed the apples of his cheeks and made the blue hue of his eyes sparkle like the sapphires of his earrings, softening his features in a way that could only be described as breathtaking—even then, that was not enough to do it justice. 

Hajime seemed to agree because the wing spiker has yet to take his eyes off their younger soulmate. The spiky-haired boy was practically devouring the sight and committing it to memory, his gaze heated and intense.

“I had fun,” the blue-eyed boy stated, and he was out the door the next second.

Both he and Hajime stood there, staring at the door and still shocked at the smile directed towards them. 

That had been the first time Tobio-chan had ever smiled at them.

It really was ridiculous how beautiful their soulmate was.

And his family seemed to agree because when they had come out of their daze and returned to the kitchen, Tooru was met with the sight of his sister and mother gushing over the blue-eyed boy.

“—so stunning,” Yumiko squealed, acting like a teenager rather than an almost-thirty-year-old woman. “How did Tooru end up with someone so breathtaking?”

His brother-in-law coughed. “I am still here, sweetheart,” Haru-san said dryly. 

His sister hushed him. “You know I don’t mean it like that.”

“You better treat him well, Tooru,” his mother threatened. “It’s not every day you meet someone so beautiful and well-mannered.”

Tooru could only give them a blank stare. His mother had barely known Tobio-chan for more than a week and his sister barely an hour. Yet, it seemed as though they liked his soulmate more than they liked their own son and brother.

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them not liking him,” Hajime comforted him.

“I don’t think I will,” he agreed.

He was not going to complain, though—his family liking Tobio-chan could only be a good thing. And from the looks of it, Tobio-chan liked his family to an extent as well.

Tooru could not help the hope blossoming in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to rewrite this chapter three times until I was finally satisfied with it. I'm happy with how it turned out.
> 
> This chapter really showed how well Tooru's family interacts with Tobio and how comfortable Tobio is around them. It also introduces Tobio to Tooru's family and I think that is important for the future of their relationship.
> 
> Anyways, the next chapter will be uploaded later today. It's in Hajime's perspective and I've already finished it. It was much easier to write than this chapter.
> 
> Also, I figured out the reason for my writer's block. I had had so many ideas about different stories in my head that it was hard for me to focus on this one. Once I actually put those ideas into writing, it was a lot easier to figure out the detail of this story.
> 
> (I ended up writing the beginning of a KinKuniKage story and I have it stored in my drafts 😂).


	82. Chapter Sixty-Nine: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Food was usually eaten in comfortable silence, so he was surprised when he heard his mother’s gentle voice saying, “I heard from Hanako that your soulmate had dinner at the Oikawas’ last night, Hajime.”
> 
> The drowsiness that had still been clouding his mind instantly dissipated at the words, his brain now on high alert. His father, who had put down his chopsticks, was the same and was listening with full attention to the conversation that was about to take place.

Breakfast at the Iwaizumi household had always been a quiet affair. Neither Hajime nor his parents could be considered morning people; the fact that all of them were required to wake up before the sun rose for work and practice did not help their mood in the least.

Food was usually eaten in comfortable silence, so he was surprised when he heard his mother’s gentle voice saying, “I heard from Hanako that your soulmate had dinner at the Oikawas’ last night, Hajime.”

The drowsiness that had still been clouding his mind instantly dissipated at the words, his brain now on high alert. His father, who had put down his chopsticks, was the same and was listening with full attention to the conversation that was about to take place.

Hajime had told his parents about rejecting Kageyama a few months prior. He and Tooru both earned them an hours-long lecture from both of their parents, who had told the two of them that they had been stupid and that they had gone about it the wrong way. In the end, though, they had been understanding about their intentions.

When the two of them told them how Kageyama had given them a chance to earn his forgiveness, both of their parents had been overjoyed and very supportive. 

Seeing as none of them had ever actually met their youngest soulmate—save for the occasional glimpses of him during games and practices—all four had been curious as to the kind of person Kageyama was and had hoped to meet him.

Hanako-san had adored the blue-eyed boy from the moment she met him and the rest of Tooru’s family appeared the same, so Hajime could imagine what had been told to his mother. It was probably the reason why she was bringing up the topic now. 

“Hanako-san invited him to dinner,” he said.

“Yes, I know,” his mother responded. “She told me that part already. What I want to know is why you have yet to invite him to our home for dinner.”

Hajime groaned internally. His mother had a pleasant personality that he absolutely loved, but she could be insistent when she wanted to be. It would be hard to dissuade her when she put her mind to something and this matter would be no different. Or because it was this matter that she would refuse to compromise.

“Kageyama still isn’t very comfortable around us, Okaa-san,” he tried to explain. “He only accepted Hanako-san’s invitation because he had been pressured by Takeru.”

“Does he still not trust you two?” his father questioned.

Hajime nodded, grimacing slightly at the thought. “I’m pretty sure he’s barely tolerating us.”

“If that were true, he would not be taking so much time out of his day to teach you,” his father comforted him.

He thought about it for a moment and supposed it was true. Kageyama was not someone he was very patient and he was honest to a fault; if the younger boy disliked something, Hajime doubted he would stay quiet and endure it.

“Still, we haven’t exactly made much progress beyond the piano.”

“Of course it would like that in the beginning, Hajime,” his mother told him. “Trust doesn’t come so easily, you know, and you two have a lot to make up for.”   
  
“I know,” he mumbled. 

And he did, but it did not make him any less impatient. He wanted to be able to talk to his soulmate without the hint of tension that always lingered between them. He wanted to be able touch the younger boy without him tensing every time. He wanted to hold Kageyama in his arms and protect him against everything that would upset him.

However, he knew that his youngest soulmate was guarded. Rushing their relationship would only cause insecurities and doubts in the future, and they would be back to where they had started. 

He wanted their relationship to work, so he would have to be patient—no matter how much it was killing him to have the younger boy so close yet unable to do anything.

“I heard from Hanako that he’s quite a beauty, too,” his mother added, an inquiring look in her eyes.

“Ah, um…” Hajime cleared his throat, a wave of heat rushing to his cheeks. “Y-yeah, he is.”

He was going to die of embarrassment. Hajime already dealt with enough teasing from Matsukawa and Hanamaki—why the hell did he have to endure teasing from his parents as well?

“And he is quite an accomplished pianist as well?” she continued to question. “He’s won multiple competitions from what I understand.”

“He  _ is _ teaching us the piano,” he told his mother. “It’s obvious that he should be decent at it at the very least.”

“Accomplished does not mean being decent, Hajime,” his father stated. “The fact that he has won so many competitions is a testament to his skill. I think you and Tooru should try to understand the extent of his abilities.”

“Have you two ever heard Tobio-kun play before?” his mother asked.

“He played for the entire team when we were at his house,” Hajime answered.

“Have you ever heard him play at a competition or a recital, at least?” his father clarified.

Hajime shook his head. He never thought of ever going to see Kageyama play at a competition before as it was not something he was particularly interested in. From what he had seen the first time his soulmate played for them, he could tell the younger boy was much more skilled than the normal person. 

“Does it make a difference listening to him play at home compared to him playing at a competition?” he wondered.

“Of course it does,” his father told him. “It’s similar to the differences of how you play during practices compared to actual games.”

“You should try attending one of his competitions or recitals if the opportunity presents itself, Hajime,” his mother suggested. “It will help you understand him better and might help you with the piano as well.”

“Alright,” he agreed.

He might not understand much about the piano, but Hajime did want to understand more about his soulmate. As it is, he could barely decipher Kageyama’s expressions, much less his thoughts. 

When the blue-eyed boy declared that he planned to give his life to the piano, there had been such determination and resolved in his eyes that it had sent shivers down Hajime’s spine. It had reminded him of Tooru whenever the setter was playing a game of volleyball. 

The sport was the other third-year’s ambition and motivation and everything—Tooru practically revolved around volleyball. Considering how central the setter’s passion was to his character, Hajime figured that understanding Kageyama’s passion for the piano would be the first step to understanding him.

And if he wanted to earn the youngest’s forgiveness, Hajime should at least make the effort to understand him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was basically an insight into Hajime's family dynamic as well as how his and Tooru's parents reacted when they were told about the rejection.
> 
> I like this chapter because it points out what Tooru and Hajime could do more to earn Tobio's forgiveness. I think that the learning the piano is basically the starting line and that they'll definitely have to do more in between to actually be accepted by Tobio.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> P.S. Did anyone else have the experience of the website shutting down? I was going to upload this chapter a bit earlier, but I couldn't get into AO3.


	83. Chapter Seventy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had been doing non-weight-bearing therapy for some time now in order to manage the swelling and circulation in his injured leg, as well as maintain the range of motions in his toes, ankle, knee, and hip. It had begun with some limited yoga and calisthenics before switching to exercises with resistance bands. 
> 
> Six weeks into his leg injury and he had been deemed able to begin another type of physical therapy—weight-bearing physical therapy, to be exact.

Staring at white ceiling had an odd effect on him. It allowed him to have a blank state of mind and soothed his anxious nerves somewhat. At the same time, the fact that he was staring at it to begin with had him dreading what was about to come.

He had been doing non-weight-bearing therapy for some time now in order to manage the swelling and circulation in his injured leg, as well as maintain the range of motions in his toes, ankle, knee, and hip. It had begun with some limited yoga and calisthenics before switching to exercises with resistance bands. 

Six weeks into his leg injury and he had been deemed able to begin another type of physical therapy—weight-bearing physical therapy, to be exact. 

For that reason, he was currently in the hospital, laying down as his physical therapist began to examine the current condition of his leg. The man was pressing against his leg, which had been freed of the splint, and asking him whether he felt any pain whatsoever.

“It aches a little bit, but it’s not painful,” he answered.

The physical therapist then conducted a walk test, in which he would have to walk as far as possible within six minutes. His mood, which had not been great beforehand, had immediately plummeted at those words.

The last time he did the walk test—the first time he had broken his leg—Tobio had barely been able to take one step before he collapsed under his own weight. It had been humiliating and infuriating how he was unable to do something as simple as walking. He had felt so powerless that it had actually tears to his eyes.

“On a scale of zero to ten, what is the pain you are currently feeling?” his therapist asked, needing a baseline for the test.

“Zero.”

Although he knew that the injury this time around was not as severe, he was still apprehensive about doing the test. He was anxious to start.

“You should not have as much trouble as last time, Kageyama-kun,” the therapist said upon sensing his hesitation and noticing his pale complexion. 

He swallowed, his throat a bit dry, and nodded.  _ It was going to be fine _ , he assured himself.  _ I can do this _ .

Taking a deep breath, he pushed off the wall he had been leaning on for support and took a cautious step forward on his injured leg. It wobbled beneath his weight, but it was able to bear it enough that he took another slow, tentative forward.

It was an incredibly simple set-up. On both ends of the empty hallway were two that marked the thirty meters distance. He would have to move back and forth, pivoting around the cone without hesitation. Tobio would be allowed to stop and lean the wall, resuming when he was able to, but it was necessary that he continued to walk whenever he could.

It sounded easier than it was, especially when he had not walked with his left leg in weeks. By the time that the physical therapist announced that a minute had passed, he had only been able to walk about forty meters.

He was walking at a turtle’s pace and it was incredibly frustrating how slow he was going, but he took comfort in the fact that he did not immediately collapse this time.

By the five-minute mark, Tobio had managed to walk about two-hundred fifty meters. Considering that the average walking speed of a human is about four-hundred meters every five minutes, it was safe to assume that he was far behind the standard.

“In a moment, I’m going to tell you to stop,” his physical therapist announced. “When I do, just stop right where you are and I will come to you.”

He nodded his understanding. From the previous tests, he knew that meant he had about fifteen seconds left to walk. 

It was obvious he did not get very far. By the time he finished, he only managed around three-hundred meters. 

At the very least, he had not stopped walking once since he had started. Even if his legs trembled with the pressure, it was still able to support his weight enough that he did not need to rest.

Tobio took this as a positive sign that he would not require as much physical therapy as before and that his full recovery would come much easier.

“What is your current level of pain, Kageyama-kun?” his physical therapist asked.

“A three.”

His leg did not hurt, but it did ache to the point that he knew he would feel the effects tomorrow. It was more than tolerable, though, and reminded him of sore muscles after a day of intense training.

“From what I’ve discussed with your doctor and the results from your walk test, there is no need for you to continue wearing a splint,” his therapist stated. “However, I do suggest you wear a brace until further notice.”

His splint caused too many inconveniences with putting on clothes and showering, so he would be glad to finally be rid of it even if he needed to wear a brace.

“You will still need to use your crutches,” the man continued. “However, I suggest you practice with walking with supervision and with something to support you.”

“Are there any exercises I should practice at home?” he asked, knowing that it would not be as simple as walking.

“You would have to do some exercises to promote joint flexibility and you will have to begin a stationary bike exercise program.”

“How long will it be until I can stop using my crutches?” 

“In two or three more weeks, you should be able to walk without crutches.”

Tobio beamed at that. The last time he had injured his leg, it had taken around twenty weeks until he was able to walk without crutches. Although he had gotten used to them, it did not make them any less bothersome.

He was already anticipating the day he would be able to walk on his own—though that was mostly because he wanted to sleep more.

It was safe to say that he left the hospital in a good mood that day. Maybe he had been too caught up with his last experience, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to be as accurate as possible with the physical therapy and recovery time, but there will a lot of things that won't be accurate to actual physical therapy. I can't really have Tobio not be able to walk for much longer.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	84. Chapter Seventy-One: Kentarou's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When I found out what you did to my cousin,” he scowled, glaring daggers at the two first-years and captains, “the four of you, I seriously considered murdering you all.”

In hindsight, Kentarou should have known better than to inform his cousin about going to training camp at eight in the morning on a Saturday—he was usually still in deep sleep and waking the younger boy usually resulted in injuries. However, he had already been late when he remembered he had forgotten to tell the ravenette about the camp, so logic had not exactly been his priority.

He should have not been surprised by the multiple missed calls either, but a morning of intense practice had him forgetting the events before he left the house.

“Where are you?” his cousin demanded. Kentarou always told him whenever he was leaving the house, so it was obvious why the younger boy sounded so worried.

“At a training camp,” he grunted. “I tried to tell you this morning, but you were still asleep.”

“And you didn’t think to text me?” the younger boy practically screamed. “I was almost about to call the police!”

“Police?” he parroted loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

“I don’t think you understand how panicked I was,” Tobio yelled. “What if you had been kidnapped by someone for money?”

“We’ve never been kidnapped for money before,” he said dryly.

“Doesn’t mean it can’t happen,” his cousin retorted. 

“I was late,” he tried to explain, “so I forgot to text you. We had to leave our phones in our room during practice.”

“I don’t care.”

He was angry—seething, in fact. And Kentarou knew it was his fault so he could only try to appease the younger boy. “Alright, alright,” he said. “I should have texted you.”

“Yeah,” the other boy snapped. “You fucking should have.”

“Yeah, I should have,” he repeated, hoping that concession would ease his anger somewhat. “Is that the only thing you called me for?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll hang up now since I have to go back to practice soon.”

“Wait,” his cousin stopped him. “Where is your training camp?”

“Somewhere at the edge of town. Why?”

“There’s a supermarket near there that’s selling a limited edition milk,” Tobio stated. “I need you to buy some for me.”

“Huh?” he demanded. “Hell no. I’m at training camp, remember?”

“Go after you’re done with practice,” his cousin said easily, not at all fazed by the rejection.

“Why can’t you go by yourself?” he snarled.

“Because Mizuki-san forbade me from walking around in crowded places,” the younger boy gritted out and he could practically hear the scowl in his voice. “I would if I could.”

“It’s just milk, Tobio,” Kentarou said.

“It’s not  _ just _ milk,” Tobio growled. “It’s limited edition milk. Limited. Edition.”

Kentarou rolled his eyes. His cousin had an unhealthy obsession with milk, for a reason he had yet to figure out. The blue-eyed boy drank it almost religiously for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

He could still remember the time when the ravenette was nine years old. His father had drunk Tobio’s last carton of milk and the younger boy dumped spoonfuls of salt in the man’s coffee for a month. 

“I am not going to the supermarket just to buy you milk.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Kentarou,” Tobio drawled.

“No.”

“Kentarou,” his cousin whined.

“No.”

“Please, Kentarou?” the blue-eyed boy pleaded.

He had to thank the fact that they were not talking on facetime, otherwise he would have already given in to the other boy’s pleading already. He was almost certain that Tobio was pulling the puppy eyes that he had never been able to say no to right about now.

“No.”

“...”

“Silence won’t work on me, Tobio.”

“...”

“ _ No _ .”

“...”

“Stop that!”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Fine!” he groaned, cursing himself for being so weak. “I’ll get you your damned milk.”   
  


“Yay,” his cousin squealed. 

“You’re absolutely insufferable, you spoiled little brat,” he snarled.

“You love me,” Tobio crooned.

“Unfortunately.”

“Bye, Kentarou,” the ravenette sang.

“Bye.”

When the line died, he could only glare at the phone in his hand. Groaning into his hands, Kentarou could not believe he actually broke under the pressure of silence.

“Don’t you think you spoil him too much?” Yahaba, who had been sitting nearby and had overheard the conversation, asked him.

He turned his glare to the other second-year, scowling as he said, “None of your business.”

Yahaba crossed his arms. “You’re the one who always complains about Kageyama being spoiled, but he’s spoiled because he knows you’ll give in to whatever he wants.”

“That’s also why he’s so stubborn,” Oikawa-san chimed in as the other regulars gathered around as well. “I think it’s cute, but Yahaba-chan’s right.”

“Kageyama seemed like a much more serious person at first,” Watari said. “I hadn’t expected him to be so childish.”

“He’s always been childish,” Kentarou stated. “My parents spoiled him a lot while we were growing up.”

“You say that as though you don’t spoil him, Kyoutani,” Kunimi said dryly. 

“You practically baby him,” Matsukawa-san agreed.

“Because we’ve been together since I was nine. He practically cried about everything, so I had to protect him.”

“I can’t imagine Kageyama crying,” Kindaichi stated. 

Kentarou glared at those words. That was the last thing he wanted to hear from the first-year, especially when his cousin had cried because of him.

He could still remember the moment clearly. He had never seen Tobio look so broken when he collapsed onto the floor crying—so much so that he was nearly choking on his own tears—and screaming. He had never seen the younger boy in so much pain before.

“When I found out what you did to my cousin,” he scowled, glaring daggers at the two first-years and captains, “the four of you, I seriously considered murdering you all.”

He did not care if the atmosphere had become awkward with tension. He was going to make sure that they never hurt his cousin again.

“I’m rich so I would have gotten away with it, too,” Kentarou stated, the ugly truth that it was. “The only reason I didn’t was because Tobio would be sad if he found out you died because of him.”

His cousin was stupid like that. Despite how much they had hurt him, he would still care for them. It was in his nature and it was both endearing and frustrating.

“Just keep in mind that several of our employees, Tobio’s attendant included, were once part of the mafia,” Kentarou threatened. “I’m sure they wouldn’t even blink at disposing of your corpses.”

He got up then, leaving the heavy air in favor of getting in some extra practice. Horrible as it was, he took great pleasure in their pale complexions and frightened eyes.

  
Even if Tobio chose to forgive them, Kentarou was not going to let them off so easily. He was going to make them regret it if they hurt him again.

He could care less whether it was his business or not. He would make it his business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all know that we were missing this part. Kentarou threatening their lives for hurting his cousin is everything and I'll fight anyone who disagrees.
> 
> I really love how this chapter how protective they are about each other and how much they care about each other. 
> 
> I took way too much satisfaction in Kentarou threatening them. It's honestly concerning, but whatever.
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Special thanks to B1tchyUn1corn for giving me the idea of the limited milk thing.
> 
> P.S. I uploaded one of the drafts I had been working on. It's only a short prologue, but I hope you guys will check it out if you're interested.


	85. Chapter Seventy-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It was actually at the request of one of my partners,” his uncle stated. “Apparently, their son, a violinist, was interested in playing a duet with you.”
> 
> “Huh? Who?”
> 
> “His name is Eita Semi. He went to your performance at All Japan and wanted to play with you.”

“A performance?” he questioned, snapping his head up from where it had been buried in his dinner.

His uncle nodded his head, a smile on his lips. “I’d like for you to perform at a party I’m hosting for my business partners.”

Tobio blink, surprised by the request. Akihiro-san had asked him to perform for business partners when he was little before, but they had always been at his insistence. Either he would get bored at the lack of entertainment or stifled by the incessant conversations, his uncle appeased his irritation by allowing him to play the piano to calm his mind.

This was different, though. It would be a formal, intended event that would happen at his uncle’s request rather than his own childish insistence.

“I don’t think I’m very suitable for this,” he stated, uneasy by the very idea. “Shouldn’t you hire a professional pianist instead?”

“Why are you so nervous about this?” his uncle asked with an amused smile. “You’ve performed in front of thousands of people already. These are just a few of my business partners.”

Performing in front of an audience, people who he knew nothing about, during competition was a completely different matter. He did not feel the pressure or the need to impress them, knowing that he would never see them again once he went home. All he needed to do was perform to the best of his abilities and let them determine whether they enjoyed it.

But for his uncle’s business partners, he needed to worry about impressing them.

“Exactly. Business partners,” he stressed. “Important business partners that have investments in the company and who could take back those investments if I make a mistake.”

“You’re overreacting, Tobio,” his aunt chuckled, as though  _ he _ were the silly one for being so worried. “These are your uncle’s close associates. They won’t take back investments just because you made a mistake or two.”

Tobio could only gape at his aunt and uncle. The fact that they were not seeing how this was such a bad idea was truly concerning.

Both Akihiro-san and Mizuki-san were level-headed, gentle people the majority of the time. But occasionally, about once a year, they think up a completely ridiculous idea and throw caution to the wind.

This was one of those times. He knew that he would have no luck convincing them himself, so he turned to his cousin for some semblance of support. The bastard only shrugged his shoulders and said, “I see no problem with it.” Fucking traitor.

He groaned. Great. It seemed as though he was the only sane person in his family currently. 

“It really is not as bad as you’re thinking it to be,” his uncle reassured him. “It will only be a short performance, only a few minutes. Barely anything to the three hour stretch of the party.”

“Then why do I have to play the piano in the first place?” he exclaimed, extremely against the idea.

If it was barely anything, then it should not matter whether he played or not. He saw no reason why they should even be having this discussion to begin with.

“It was actually at the request of one of my partners,” his uncle stated. “Apparently, their son, a violinist, was interested in playing a duet with you.”

“Huh? Who?”

“His name is Eita Semi. He went to your performance at All Japan and wanted to play with you.”

“Semi...san?” he repeated, trying to recall where he had heard the name before. Tobio frowned, furrowing his brows as he tried to rack his brain for the memory.

“I believe you played a duet with him once before. When you were nine if I recall correctly,” his uncle supplied.

“Oh!” he blurted as the memory came back to him.

A boy with a head of thick, messy ash-blonde hair with dark tips and sharply-shaped brown eyes came to mind. He remembered the black eyebrows—he had thought that it was stupid as a child. Why were his eyebrows black when his hair was blonde?—and a small scowl similar to his own.

They had been at each other’s throat from the moment the teacher assigned them a duet to perform together at a competition. When the teacher had been explaining the piece they were to perform to them, both of them had spent the entire time glaring at each other.

Not to mention, their practice had been less productive, with them picking apart every single note the other played. They had both irritated the other so much—neither of them even knew why they were so angry—that a fist fight had even broken out.

It was only after being given a three-hours-long lecture from their teacher did they reluctantly manage to tolerate each other enough to practice together. Even then, their conversations consisted of barbed insults and condescending comments.

In the end, they had the best performance and won the contest. 

They had been paired together a few more times after that, but that had been the extent of their interactions.

When it was announced that he had planned to quit the piano, however, Semi-san sought him out at his final competition.  _ If you ever decide to play the piano again, let’s play together, _ had been all the older boy had said before leaving.

“Eita Semi-san, huh,” he muttered, mulling around with the thought once he finished dinner.

He was currently laying, spread out on his bed as he remembered the words.

It had always been interesting whenever he performed duets with the blonde-haired boy. Despite his less than pleasant personality, Eita Semi was more than impressive when it came to playing the violin. He had been one of the few people around his age able to keep up with Tobio’s abilities, to the point that he had been wary that the violinist would outshine him. 

Their performances together had always been fun, though. It had always been a clash of their sounds, a war they fought against each other, determined to be the better musician.

He smiled at the thought of playing with the older boy again.

Hopping out of his room, he told his uncle, who was sitting on the couch, “I’ll perform at your party, Akihiro-san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To martylagfer, who had been asking for an interation with Eita, I have finally been able to incorporate it into the story somehow.
> 
> For all my readers, please prepare for some more IwaOi jealousy because I really cannot get enough of it. I think it's a problem at this point, but I could care less.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this.
> 
> Also, these chapters have been a bit episodic because there's nothing that important going on. However, that will change soon with Eita's appearance, so look forward to it.


	86. Notice

With school starting again, I'm only going to be able upload once a day. I might be able to do two if I find the time, but the start of a new semester is always stressful, so I won't be able to upload two a day as I have been.

Thank you for your understanding.


	87. Chapter Seventy-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then who is it that has you so happy, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san crooned.
> 
> He flinched at the dark look glimmering in the setter’s eyes and the sharp edge of his smile. He took a step backwards when he noticed the tense lines of his muscles and the hands gripping tightly on a volleyball. He did not like any of it and was a bit intimidated by it all.

He would be damned to admit it, but he knew that Eita Semi was probably the only reason why he continued playing the piano as long as he did.

A year had passed since his mother had lost custody. His mother had been the reason why he continued playing the piano despite how stifling he felt every time he touched the keys. With her gone, he had begun to wonder whether he truly enjoyed the piano, or whether he had done it simply for the sake of doing it.

He met the older boy when he was near his breaking point.

Eita Semi had possessed the color that he lacked in his own sound. The substance, the passion, the _life_ that how own dull and empty notes could have never dreamed of reaching. 

It was beautiful. It was entrancing. 

He had hated it.

Nine years old at the time, he had hated it to the point that he could barely stand to hear it. Hated it so much that every note grated on his ears.

And Eita Semi hated him back.

Hated that he was able to play the piano with such flawless technique. Hated that he kept winning and winning every competition. Hated everything about him and the piano because it was clear that he lacked the passion so deserving of the piano.

Their fight had been the resolve of their hatred. Seething screams and blood-curdling insults thrown back and forth as fists swung wildly.

A semblance of understanding had been reached between them and it had been an unleashing of their music. 

Rather than by bouts of violence, they settled their differences with their performances. Every piece they had played together was like a war, neither side conceding as blood continued shedding. 

It was absolutely gratifying.

He wanted that experience again. He wanted the exhilaration that always came with their duets. He wanted the chance to play with such a talented musician. He wanted the freedom—something who would never be able to achieve in competitions with all the rules and regulations—to play without reserve and worry.

His mind was buzzing at the mere thought of performing with the older boy. So much so that he had woken up with a clear mind the next morning, any signs of his usual drowsiness nowhere to be seen.

He was practically bouncing when limped to school with his crutches.

His excitement had become so apparent throughout the day that Kunimi approached him at the end of afternoon practice, asking him, “Did something happen, Kageyama?”

Eyes widening, he flushed slightly at the words. “Was I that obvious?”

“Your eyes have been shining since this morning,” was the other first-year’s reply.

“The only time I’ve seen you like, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san chimed in, “was whenever you were put into a volleyball game.”

Heat rose to his cheeks again once he realized that several people were starting to gather around and he shrunk slightly at the sudden attention. 

“He’s excited because he gets to his boyfriend again,” Kentarou explained.

Tobio snapped his eyes towards his cousin, glaring daggers at the smirk now curling onto the older boy’s lips. “Don’t spout bullshit, you fucking asshole,” he snarled. “He is _not_ my boyfriend.”

“Then who is it that has you so happy, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san crooned.

He flinched at the dark look glimmering in the setter’s eyes and the sharp edge of his smile. He took a step backwards when he noticed the tense lines of his muscles and the hands gripping tightly on a volleyball. He did not like any of it and was a bit intimidated by it all.

“A violinist,” he drawled cautiously and slowly. As though he were talking to a predator that had cornered him. 

“And who is this violinist?” 

  
“Someone I haven’t seen in three years…”

  
“Someone _who_?” the setter persisted.

He had no idea why Oikawa-san was acting the way he was, nor did he know why Iwaizumi-san had his lips drawn in a tight line and brows furrowed. He was not stopping the captain, which was disconcerting in himself, but the fact that the ace looked angry as well did not ease Tobio’s nervousness or confusion.

“Now, now, Captains,” Mattsun-san sang, flinging an arm around Oikawa-san’s shoulders. “Don’t be so intimidating. You’re scaring him.”

“That’s right,” Makki-san agreed, mouth splitting into a grin. “Just because you’re jealous doesn’t mean Tobio-chan has to suffer for it.”

“Jealous?” Tobio questioned, tilting his head. “What could Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san be jealous about?”

For some reason, Mattsun-san and Makki-san turned to him with mouths gaping. And then the outside hitter placed a hand on the setter’s shoulders, turning a sympathetic glance to Oikawa-san.

“I pity you, Oikawa, Iwaizumi,” Makki-san stated.

“Tell me about it,” the captain groaned into his hands.

“Huh?” he asked. “What are you two even talking about?”

Mattsun-san ruffled his hair, earning a scowl from him as a result. “Don’t worry about it, Kageyama,” the middle blocker said. 

“What is it?” he demanded, slapping away the hand on his head.

Iwaizumi-san shook his head. “It’s nothing,” the ace assured him.

He frowned, unsatisfied at the answer. Whatever it is they were talking about obviously involved him and he was not pleased that they were leaving him out of the conversation. He had a right to know if he was the subject.

“What is it?” he insisted.

“What it is is that you’re dumb, Kageyama,” Kunimi told him dryly.

He scowled. “I am not dumb!” he protested.

“Well, you’re being dumb, then,” the other boy revised.

“How?”

“You really don’t know?” Kindaichi asked, incredulous.

He furrowed his brows and pouted. How the hell could he know what they were all talking about when they were all being so vague? It was not his fault that they were being so weird.

“I don’t get it,” he huffed, turning to leave the gym.

Ignoring the voices calling him to come back, he walked out of the door with irritation clouding his mind. If they want to be secretive, then Tobio would leave them to their own devices.

He was just about to storm out of the gates when he stopped dead in his tracks.

He recognized the familiar ash-blonde hair and stupid eyebrows. The brown eyes staring back at him shined with what seemed to be amusement, but the same scowling expression adorned his face.

“Yama-kun!” Semi-san yelled before engulfing him in a hug.

Tobio scowled at the nickname and the sudden contact. The older boy knew exactly how much he hated both of those things and it was because he knew that that he was doing it in the first place.

“Get hell off of me, Semi-san!” he barked, pushing against the other’s chest.  
  
“Aww, don’t be shy now, Yama-kun,” the other cooed. “We haven’t seen each other in ages. No need to be embarrassed.”   
  
“I”m not embarrassed, you bastard,” Tobio snarled. “Now, let go!”

He was pulled back into a firm chest and he only had to look to the side to recognize it as Iwaizumi-san. The wing spiker’s hold on him tightened as Semi-san put up his hand in defense.

“Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san’s crisp voice called out to him. “Mind telling us how you know someone from Shiratorizawa?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou escalating the situation is hilarious to me. And the fact that Tobio is so oblivious is kind of ridiculous at this point, but totally believable with his personality.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	88. Chapter Seventy-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then what is he?” Iwaizumi-san grunted, tone slightly sharp.
> 
> “I’m his beloved partner, obviously,” Semi-san said, finally releasing his cheeks.

Eita Semi was never one to be intimidated.

He remembered a time when he was about eleven years old and the two of them had encountered a bully on their way to practice for their duet. Said bully was several years older than the violinist and had been intimidating one of the younger children in their classes.

Despite the fact that the bully had been twice his size, Semi-san had marched right up to the other and kicked him between the legs. The bully had doubled over in pain, but it did not prevent him from threatening Semi-san.

_“I’ll kill you, you little runt.”_

_“You can try.”_ had been the immediate reply, _“but I should warn you that my family owns several, highly-trained bodyguards.”_

Recalling that event, Tobio had to wonder what was going through the violinist’s mind at this instance, faced with the glaring eyes of both of his soulmates. 

“Did he hurt you, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked, still holding tightly onto his arm.

Tobio blinked. “Why would he?” he questioned. “Semi-san isn’t so stupid that he would attack me for no reason.”

He waited a moment for the bark of outrage from Semi-san at being called stupid, but it never came. What he found from the violinist instead were narrowed eyes that seemed to be considering whether he should return the hostility being directed towards him.

“Um…” Tobio began, wanting to avoid bloodshed, “Semi-san is the person I was talking about earlier.”

Oikawa-san whipped his head around, staring at him with surprised eyes. “The violinist? Then why did you react so violently when he hugged you?”

“Because he did it so suddenly,” Tobio grumbled. “Would _you_ like it if someone suddenly touched you without warning?”

Iwaizumi-san immediately released his hold at those words, an apologetic expression directed his way. Tobio waved it off, turning his attention to the violinist standing awkwardly at the gates.

“What are you doing here, Semi-san?” he asked the violinist. 

A smirk made its way onto the violinist's lips. “I came to see my favorite little brat, of course.”  
  


Tobio scowled at the insult, but opted to ignore it. “I had not expected to see you today.”

Semi-san shrugged, grinning. “I didn’t tell anyone. I came here right after practice.”

“Is this about the duet?”  
  


“Of course! I’m here to convince you to accept it,” the older boy exclaimed.

Tobio rolled his eyes. “I already accepted it last night,” he stated. “If you had any semblance of patience, then you would have known that.”  
  


It had been one of the many things they fought over every time they did a duet together. While Tobio preferred taking his time to digest the piece, consider the emotions of the artist, research the intent, Semi-san preferred to dive straight into the music. 

The older boy’s eyebrows twitched. Tobio scowled at the two hands pinching his cheeks, but he was expecting it this time, so he did not move away. “Listen here, you cheeky little brat,” the violinist drawled. “You should be grateful that I found the time in my busy schedule to pay you a visit after three years.”

“I donsh needth ta be gwatefur fer anything,” he slurred out.

Someone cleared their throat behind him. “Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san crooned. “Would you mind introducing us to your friend?”

“He’sh noth ma friend!” Tobio protested.

He wanted to slap the hands on his cheeks away, but hands were important for a violinist. It would be bad if he injured them and he was used to Semi-san enough to tolerate at least this much.

“Then what is he?” Iwaizumi-san grunted, tone slightly sharp.

“I’m his beloved partner, obviously,” Semi-san said, _finally_ releasing his cheeks.

“You are not beloved,” Tobio corrected. 

“I’m your partner, though?” 

He grunted his reply, readjusting his crutches from the storm that was Eita Semi. The violinist was as bold as ever and he could not tell whether that relieved or annoyed him more.

“You can go home now that I’ve accepted,” he told the older boy dryly.

“I came all this way for you, so the least you can do is take me out for a meal,” was the reply he received.

“I never asked you to. You’re here because of your own idiocy.”

Semi-san gave him a pointed stare—the kind an older brother gave to his younger sibling when they did not do what he wanted.

He debated for a moment whether it would be worth it to defy him now. If it was worth it to suffer in their practices later on because that was exactly what would have happened, or if it was better to simply give in for the sake of their duet.

Both of them were competitive and neither option would satisfy either of them. So he compromised, “Fine. But you’re paying.”

Semi-san frowned, obviously displeased with the idea. “Why should I?”

  
“You’re the one who suggested it,” Tobio said innocently. “It’s obvious that the one doing the inviting should be treating.”

“ _Ahem_ ,” a sharp cough sounded behind him.

He looked over his shoulder to see the same dark look and sharp smile Oikawa-san had on earlier. A shiver crawled down at the imposing air surrounding the setter.

“Is...something the matter, Oikawa-san?” he questioned, his tone and words excessively polite with the intimidation poking at his mind. 

“Well, Tobio-chan,” the setter drawled, his voice both sickeningly sweet yet full of venom at the same time, “before you were planning your _date_ with your _partner_ , I asked you to introduce us to each other.”

“R-right,” he stammered out. “Um...Oikawa-san, Iwaizumi-san, this is Semi-san. Semi-san, this is Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san.”  
  


“I know,” the violinist stated. “We’ve met each other at volleyball matches before.”

“I can’t recall ever seeing you before, Semi-san,” Oikawa-san sniped.

It sounded a petty retort to even Tobio’s ears and Iwaizumi-san seemed to hold the same opinion. The wing spiker brought his hand up to smack the setter in the back of the head, eliciting a whine of pain from the other boy.

“Be nice, Shittykawa,” the ace grunted.

“That hurt, Iwa-chan!”

“Sorry about him,” he apologized to Semi-san, ignoring their soulmate.

“It’s fine,” Semi-san said. “I don’t have enough time to listen to what irrelevant people have to say.”

Oikawa-san flushed at the words and Tobio rushed to prevent the situation from escalating. “We should get going, Semi-san.”  
  


“Sure,” the older boy easily agreed.

“Would you mind if we joined you two, Tobio-chan?” his soulmate crooned, a predatory smile on his lips. “I would love to get to know your _partner_ better.”   
  
“I don—”

“I have no problem with that,” Semi-san said, returning the smile with equal sharpness.

“Great,” Oikawa-san clapped. “Then that’s settled.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobio arranging what was practically a date with Eita IN FRONT of Hajime and Tooru is literally as oblivious as it could get. 
> 
> With the last chapter, I know I didn't show it, but I really want to portray Eita's relationship with Tobio as something different than his other relationships. I started showing it in this chapter in that Tobio is more willing to compromise with Eita than he is with other people.
> 
> I want to set Eita up as a character that Tooru was to Tobio in the anime and manga. With Eita appearing more in the story now, I hope to use him as a catalyst for Tobio's relationships and character.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	89. Chapter Seventy-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tension between Semi-san and his soulmates was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. In several instances on their way to the restaurant—the one he had went to meet with Kunimi a few months ago—he swore he saw sparks fly between the three of them.

The tension between Semi-san and his soulmates was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. In several instances on their way to the restaurant—the one he had went to meet with Kunimi a few months ago—he swore he saw sparks fly between the three of them.

And now the four of them were sitting at a single, four-person booth with several members of the volleyball club sitting by them. Tobio desperately wished that he was sitting anywhere else, preferably by his cousin or Kunimi like he usually does. 

He did not want to be sitting here, where it seemed as though a fight was about to break out at any moment.

“So, Semi-san,” Oikawa-san drawled, “how come you're so familiar with Tobio-chan?”

The boy sitting next to him only smiled. “I can’t see how that is any of your business, Oikawa-san.”

“I’m just concerned that my beloved underclassman is hanging out with someone so sketchy.”

“Your ‘beloved underclassman’ has known me far longer than you,” was the smooth reply. “If anyone had the right to be concerned about Yama-kun between the two of us, it would be me.”

“I’m right here, you know,” he grumbled, disgruntled at the fact that they were talking as though he were not sitting right beside them.

Semi-san only ruffled his hair. “The adults are speaking, Yama-kun.”

He scowled at the condescension in those words, grumbling a series of curses under his breath as he looked over the restaurant menu.

If they were determined to ignore him, then he might as well ignore them in favor of some food. It was something that he sorely needed if he was going to deal with this bullshit. 

“I knew Ushiwaka was crude, but I didn’t expect his teammates to be just as,” the setter sneered.

“I’m sure Ushijima cares very little what you think of him,” Semi-san returned venomously, “when you have yet to beat him once.”  
  


Udon sounds good at the moment. He wondered what type he should get. Soup appealed to him at the moment, but he had also been craving beef for a while now. Then again, the thought of curry udon also had his mouth watering.

“I’m sure Ushiwaka cares very much what I think, considering he’s made it a point to tell me consistently that I should have joined Shiratorizawa.”

The picture of katsudon also looked very delicious. Maybe he should just get both since he was sure he could finish them.

“Well, it’s clear he overestimates you. I can’t imagine what our captain sees in such an unsavory character,” Semi-san hissed.

Tobio called over a waitress who seemed to be available. She was eyeing the argument cautiously, but asked him, “What would you like to order, sir?”

“Could I have a curry udon and a katsudon?” he ordered, before turning to Iwaizumi-san. The wing spiker had been paying attention to the...conversation between Oikawa-san and Semi-san, making sure it did not get out of hand. “Would you like anything, Iwaizumi-san?”

“Um...no…” the wing spiker, giving him a weird look.

He nodded before turning back to the waitress. “That’s all. Thank you very much.”

The waitress jotted down the order before going through a door that he assumed to be the cooking area. All he needed to do now was wait for the food to come.

“—ama-kun likes me much more than you,” Semi-san said before pulling Tobio into his arms.

He laid awkwardly with his back against the older boy’s chest, scowling as the violinist rubbed the crown of his head as though he were petting a dog.

It seemed to do its purpose of angering Oikawa-san because the setter’s eyes narrowed. “I doubt Tobio-chan likes someone as horrible as you.”

“Have you two had enough yet?” Iwaizumi-san suddenly hissed. “You’re causing a scene.”

“You should blame your captain for that,” Semi-san stated, refusing to let go of Tobio.

“Don’t try to play innocent!” Oikawa-san protested. “You—”

A smack at his head had the setter stopping his sentence and a murderous glare from Iwaizumi-san had him shutting his mouth altogether. Apparently, the wing spiker has deemed the argument enough.

“Here is your order, sir,” the waitress said as she placed two bowls in front of him.

He shrugged off the hold Semi-san had on him, mouth watering at the sight of food. Without reserve, he immediately dug into his katsudon.

“How come you didn’t order me any food?” Semi-san demanded. “And when did you even order food?”

“When you two were fighting,” he stated. He squawked when his bowl of curry udon was suddenly snatched from him, demanding, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Eating,” Semi-san said simply before taking out a pair of chopsticks and eating _his_ food.

“Order your own!” Tobio protested.

“Why would I when I have food right in front of me?”

He frowned deeply, completely distraught as he watched his food being eaten by someone else. “I was planning to eat that,” he complained weakly.

Chopsticks shoved themselves into his mouth as he felt the taste of curry on his tongue. “There,” the violinist said. “Now that you ate it, you can stop whining and start eating your own food.”

He wanted to protest about how that curry udon _was_ his own food, but his mouth was blocked by another mouthful of curry udon. Tobio was effectively silenced as he tried to keep the udon and curry from spilling all over the table.

“Besides,” Semi-san said, “I’m the one paying, so there should be no problem with me eating the food.”

He glared at the older boy, swallowing a mouthful of the udon. “It’s called common decency. You shouldn’t be stealing someone else’s food.”

“You’re telling me you’ve never stolen someone else’s food before,” the violinist questioned with a raised brow.

“Of course not,” Tobio stated. “Food is sacred.”

“You’re overreacting,” Semi-san said, giving him a sideways glance, “but I digress.”

“I am not overreacting,” he replied. “You are just not intelligent enough to see the value in food.”

The violinist snorted. “Between the two of us, I’d say I’m the only one with any semblance of intelligence.”

“I’m not the one who thought the Leaning Tower of Pisa was a pizza restaurant,” he muttered, shoving a piece of tonkatsu in his mouth.

“Can you blame me with the name?” the older boy demanded in outrage.

“Are you an idiot?” Oikawa-san asked. “Who the hell thinks that?”

Semi-san’s brow twitched. “I’d rather not hear that from someone who lacks even a single brain cell.”

The irritated smiles exchanged between the two of them foreshadowed that another argument was about to break out.

Tobio was seriously regretting his choice to take up Semi-san’s suggestion for a meal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually thought that the Leaning Tower of Pisa actually had pizza until sixth grade. Stupid, I know.
> 
> I had this picture in my head of Tooru and Eita trading insults with Tobio and Hajime just watching them and this is how it turned out. I honestly don't know how it turned out this way, but this is what it is.
> 
> Next chapter will be Hajime's perspective. Look forward to it.


	90. Chapter Seventy-Six: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three: loving Tobio Kageyama was complicated.

His soulmate was being stupid.

His soulmate was always being stupid, but this was a different matter all together. What Tooru was doing could only be described as a culmination of pettiness and jealousy.

Hajime had no idea what the setter intended to accomplish with his not-so-subtle insults, but it was clear that it was not going as the other boy wanted to, judging by his irritated expression.

At the same time, however, he could not say he blamed the other third-year either. Even he had gotten annoyed by Eita Semi, who appeared to be far too comfortable with their soulmate. Several times now, the Shiratorizawa student had touched Tobio in a way that was too intimate to be considered friendly—every time, Hajime almost reached over the table to separate the two musicians.

And now, Tobio was exchanging dialogue with the violinist without any regard for their growing displeasure about the situation. Although, he knew that was due to the blue-eyed boy’s obliviousness rather than an intention to mock them.

“Your last performance at All-Japan was a surprise, you know,” Semi-san said as he twirled his chopsticks around the bowl of curry udon—another thing that had had Hajime’s stomach curling with annoyance.

It had not failed to escape his notice how easily his youngest soulmate had let the matter of his food getting stolen go, when he would usually raise hell over a simple snack being taken from him.

And then there was also the matter of how little Tobio was arguing with the violinist despite the constant teasing and soft insults. It was clear that his soulmate was much more...compromising, for lack of a better word, towards Semi-san than he was towards other people.

“What was so surprising about it?” the ravenette questioned, furrowing his brows in confusion. “I played as I normally would.”

“I’m not talking about your technique,” the violinist stated with a roll of the eyes. “I’m talking about the expression. The color.”

A cute, little frown made its way onto Tobio’s lips. “Color? Do you mean the tone color?”

“No,” Semi-san denied. “I’m talking about the...colors you see while playing.”

“Okay…” the pianist said slowly. It was obvious that he had yet to understand what the other meant. “But my colors change every time I play?”

To his credit, Semi-san was being incredibly patient about this. “It’s brighter,” the violinist tried. “Like, before it was really ‘piikkh,’ but now it’s “waaaah.’”

“Oh,” Tobio drawled, understanding dawning on his features. “I hadn’t even realized.”

Hajime could only gape at his youngest soulmate, unable to even begin to comprehend how he was able to understand that. And the fact that Semi-san had actually been able to explain it in such a nonsensical way for Tobio to understand…

The only thing keeping him from reacting in the same manner Tooru was was the memory of the last time he jumped to conclusions and let jealousy overtake him. It had been utterly embarrassing to find out the object of his jealousy had been his soulmate’s cousin.

“Have you ever listened to your previous performances?” Semi-san questioned.

Tobio’s expression shuddered until it became blank, completely void of emotion. “I’d rather not listen to something so...empty.”

Hajime wished that there was not a wall separating their bond so that he knew what Tobio was feeling at the moment. Because it was obvious that there was something—something that affected his soulmate enough for him to become so guarded. 

Semi-san, however, only sneered. “I hate that about you,” the violinist hissed. “You’re completely insensitive.”

Both Hajime and Tooru glared at him.

He continued without pause. “What do you think the people who lost to you would feel to hear you say that?” the musician snarled. “Are you going to tell them that their best had lost to an empty sound?”

“That’s not what I meant,” the blue-eyed boy said tersely, his entire body ridged.

“Well, that’s what you sounded like,” Semi-san snapped.

Hajime watched as Tobio clenched his jaw and waited for the retort. Only...it never came. His soulmate remained utterly silent as the tension built and built—

Until the Shiratorizawa student sighed. “I hadn’t come here to lecture you.”

“Could have fooled me,” his soulmate muttered.

Again, Hajime wondered as to their relationship when Semi-san reached out a hand, placing it on the ravenette’s head, and Tobio did not shrug it off.

Instead, the blue-eyed boy actually said, “I’m sorry.”

He and Tooru could only stare in absolute shock, mouths gaping, because Tobio apologized. Well, it was not the apology that was so surprising since their soulmate apology—only when he thought he was actually at fault, though—It was the context of the apology that shocked them.

Hajime would never have expected the blue-eyed boy to apologize for something like this.

“It’s good that you understand,” was all the violinist said.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

Even as he laid in bed that night, Hajime’s mind contemplated all he had ever observed about Tobio, which had made three things extremely clear to him.

One: there was much of Tobio’s past that they had little to no knowledge of. 

The only snippet of his soulmate’s past that was of substance was about the younger boy’s mother—the thought still had his blood boiling—and the knowledge that he won numerous piano competitions as a child.

They knew about how close he was with his cousin, but knew nothing about any other people of importance to Tobio’s life.

Two: it would be much more difficult to understand Tobio than Hajime had originally thought.

Understanding people in general was difficult, but Tobio was a series of contradictions that made little sense to him. 

He was childish, yet there had been numerous moments when he had shown unnatural maturity for someone only fifteen years old. He was insensitive, yet he did his best to try and be considerate to the people around him. He was brash and short-tempered, yet surprisingly patient and calm whenever it came to the piano.

Three: loving Tobio Kageyama was complicated.

Although Tooru used to resent him for being a genius, it was a mistake to think that he was a perfect person. 

Because Tobio was not perfect.

He was childish, insensitive, brash, short-tempered, aggressive, selfish, a pain in the ass. It was not an underestimate to say that he was very,  _ very _ flawed.

At the same time, he was passionate, considerate, caring, humble, honest, courteous, determined. He had many admirable traits.

Three: loving Tobio Kageyama was complicated, but it was not hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you were confused during Tobio and Eita's conversation, then that was what I intended. Hajime doesn't understand Tobio that well, so he doesn't understand why Tobio is apologizing--especially when he had not apologized worse things.
> 
> It also shows that Hajime and Tooru are aware that Tobio is not perfect. I think that knowing that your partner is not perfect makes loving them a lot more genuine, and that's why I included the thought process at the end.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it.


	91. Chapter Seventy-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Anyways,” he said, remembering his original question. “How do I not be insensitive?”
> 
> “The problem is in your communication skills, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san answered. “Calling it bad would be an understatement.”
> 
> “Then how do I improve those?” he asked.

He wondered why it was so hard for him to communicate with people.

It had happened countless times to him before, in which his word had become misconstrued and misinterpreted. It was enough now that it was obvious the problem lied in him rather than other people.

Tobio has thought about this matter numerous times already, but it was the first time he considered it so seriously. It was the conversation with Semi-san that brought up the topic in his mind.

_ Insensitive _ .

That had been the word used to describe him. He had been told that a myriad of times before, but he had never been told that he was insensitive towards music.

Had it come out of anyone else’s mouth, he would have never paid it any attention. Had it been anyone else, he would not be considering it as he was now. 

But it had been Semi-san who had called him that word.

Tobio did not pay much regard to other musicians his age—the reason for this mostly being that he had never had a pleasant experience with any of them—but he knew Semi-san well enough to know that the older boy would never say such a thing simply because he insulted someone.

He had apologized then, because it had been rude of him to say that, but he did not really understand why the violinist reacted so strongly.

“Tobio-chan,” his soulmate’s voice called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He blinked, realizing that he was in the middle of a piano lesson with the two third-years. “Did...you say something?” he managed lamely.

Oikawa-san rolled his eyes. “Not at all,” the setter said sarcastically. “That’s exactly why I was calling out to you.”

Iwaizumi-san smacked him in the back of the head. “Don’t be an ass, Shittykawa.”

“Mean, Iwa-chan!”

The wing spiker ignored the whine, turning soft eyes his way. The look in those emerald orbs were far too tender for him to be comfortable, causing Tobio to turn away in order to avoid dwelling on it further.

“Is something wrong, Kageyama?”

“No.”

“You’re not a very good liar, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stated. “At least try to keep a scowl off your face.”

He immediately wiped the scowl off his face. “I’m not lying.”

“And I like Ushiwaka,” was the dry response as he flopped onto a couch beside Tobio. “You’re not fooling either of us.”

“You should tell us, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san said. “Maybe we can help you.”

Tobio furrowed his brows. Considering Oikawa-san’s personality, it does make sense that the setter could help him with his problem. He could say whatever he wanted about Tooru Oikawa, but it was a fact that the older boy knew exactly what words to say and how to say them—it was the reason why he made such a great captain.

“...Am I insensitive?” he asked eventually.

Oikawa-san snorted. “You told a girl that she was stupid for giving me cookies. It’s obvious that you’re insensitive, Tobio-chan.”

He scowled, feeling an urge to defend himself for that situation. “Why would an athlete want junk food during practice?”

“That’s completely irrelevant,” the setter explained. “It’s about the intentions behind the cookies rather than the cookies themselves.”

His frown deepened, but before he could ask what the older boy meant, Iwaizumi-san said, “You are insensitive, Kageyama. However, I think that’s more because you don’t understand people rather than you intending to be insensitive.”

He already knew that. “Then how do I not be insensitive?” he asked instead.

Oikawa-san quirked a brow at him. “What brought this about, Tobio-chan? I didn’t think you cared what others thought of you.”

“I don’t,” Tobio said matter-of-factly. “But Semi-san said I was being insensitive and I don’t understand what he meant by it.”

“And this bothers you?” Iwaizumi-san drawled. His tone was calm and smooth, but his eyes were sharp.

Tobio nodded.

“What is your relationship with Semi-san, Kageyama?”

He blinked, tilting his head in confusion. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Iwaizumi-san averted his eyes, a light blush tinging his cheeks. “Just...you two seem to have a close relationship.”

“I respect him as a musician,” Tobio said, “but I wouldn’t say our relationship is close.”

Semi-san had astounding talent and skill as a violinist and musician. He had been taught many things from the older boy during the few duets they performed and he held the other in high regard because of it.

However, that was it. They never talked to or met each other outside of practices. The relationship between them was colleagues at best and acquaintances at worst—they were nowhere near close.

“Anyways,” he said, remembering his original question. “How do I not be insensitive?”

“The problem is in your communication skills, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san answered. “Calling it bad would be an understatement.”

“Then how do I improve those?” he asked.

“It’s not something you can improve so easily, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san told him. “Communicating requires an effort on both sides. It’s not something you can control by yourself.”

“That’s stupid,” he muttered.

“”It’s because you think like that that you’re so bad at communicating,” Oikawa-san said. “You have to be receptive to the other person if you want to improve. Getting annoyed because you can’t control a conversation defeats the very purpose of a conversation.”

“And what’s the purpose of a conversation?”   
  


“To understand people,” Iwaizumi-san said simply.

Tobio furrowed his brows. Is that why Semi-san got so angry with him—because he did not understand people?

He did not know why understanding people was so important. It was not as though they had anything to do with him winning or his music. Why should he try to understand them if they had nothing to do with him?

It seemed pointless when he would never talk to them. And it was not as though they would be making an effort to talk to him either.

Even as he laid in bed later that night, after hours of contemplating and thinking, he still could not see why it was so important that he understood people who had nothing to do with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter reveals another aspect of Tobio's character that is a flaw of his--he does not understand people and does not care to understand them.
> 
> This was shown a lot through the anime and manga (at least in my opinion). His development throughout the series is about him coming to understand his teammates.
> 
> I thought it was fitting to point this out now. At this point, Tobio isn't trying to understand why Tooru and Hajime want to earn his forgiveness--he's doing it for his own sake because he doesn't want to live his life never forgiving them. He also doesn't understand his relationship with Kunimi and Kindaichi either and is pretty much indifferent to them. Once he starts trying to understand people, it opens a new aspect to his current relationships.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	92. Chapter Seventy-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the harsh words, the hand petting his head was gentle and warm. He leaned into the touch, reassured by the tenderness of it.
> 
> His cousin was rough and aggressive, but he was also incredibly caring and kind towards him. Tobio could always count on Kentarou to tell him what he needed and vice versa.

“Huh?” Kentarou asked. “Are you sick or something? Why are you asking me this?”   
  


He scowled at the incredulous expression his cousin wore as he whipped his head around. He should have known better than to discuss this matter with the older boy, who was just as—if not worse than—inept as him in the social department. 

“I’m not sick,” he said a bit irritatedly. “What makes you think I’m sick?”

“There’s obviously something wrong with your head if  _ you _ are asking me about  _ understanding people _ ,” he replied, the last two words said with so much disgust that he could imagine the expression on Kentarou’s face.

Both of them had opted to skip school that day—Kentarou woke up early to attend practice and went home once it was finished—and were currently lazing in the older boy’s room. Tobio took to sprawling across the bed while his cousin chose to lay on one of his bean cushions. The older boy was turned away from him, too busy with whatever he was doing on his phone.

“I can try and understand people,” he protested.

“Tobio,” Kentarou said, turning so that he could see the deadpan expression. “You’d sooner tell people to bow at your feet than try to understand them.”

He pouted slightly. “You make me sound so heartless.”

“You’re arrogant,” his cousin corrected.

“Whatever,” he muttered. “I should have known better than to ask you.”

“Why are you even trying to understand people now?” the older boy questioned. “It’s not as though it matters much what other people are thinking. It doesn’t affect you at all.”

“I know that.” It was exactly what he had been thinking last night. “But Semi-san got mad at me because of it, so I feel like I need to know it.”

If the violinist could get mad about it once, it was bound to happen another time. Although both of them were professional enough to keep it from affecting their duet, it would create tension during their practices. That was the last thing he wanted when he was playing the piano.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, Tobs,” his cousin drawled. “I’m not exactly the best person when it comes to understanding people.”

“We have similar personalities,” he said, “so I wanted to know how you would go about it.”

“I wouldn’t even try,” Kentarou stated, the answer completely useless and no help whatsoever.

He really should have known better than to ask his cousin. 

Tobio wondered why he always forgot that, although his cousin was  _ slightly  _ better than him with socialization, the older boy was much more apathetic towards people. He suspected it was because Kentarou spoiled him so much that he rarely ever saw the apathetic side of his personality.

“Haven’t you tried asking someone else about this?” his cousin questioned.

“I did. Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san.”

He could see Kentarou's entire body tense at the names, the older boy turning in his seat to stare at him with narrowed eyes. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about them,” his cousin said.

Tobio took note of the expression the older boy wore and immediately sat up, giving his cousin his undivided attention. It was rare for Kentarou to be so serious.

“What about them?” he questioned.

“Your... _ soulmates _ ,” the word was said with a scowl, conveying exactly how horrible his cousin thought of the two third-years. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with them lately. Why?”

“Because I’m teaching them the piano?”

“Obviously,” the older boy drawled with a roll of the eyes. “I mean, why are you even teaching them in the first place?”

It unnerved him how intense his cousin’s gaze was. “I...I want to try to forgive them,” he answered. 

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to live my life holding onto...whatever it was that happened between us.”

“I still don’t see how that has anything with you teaching them the piano,” his cousin responded. “You’re willingly spending time with them.”

“I should at least witness how serious they are,” he said weakly.

Him giving them a chance would be meaningless if he never actually saw them. He should see for himself how sincere they were and whether they actually earned his forgiveness. And if he were going to accept them as his soulmates, he would have to acquaint himself with the two of them more as well.

“That is important,” Kentarou agreed, “but that still doesn’t explain why you’re teaching them the piano. There are other ways for them to show their seriousness.”

“It was a condition,” he stated. “For them to earn my forgiveness. I said that if they can learn the first two movements of Moonlight Sonata in six months, I would forgive them.”

His cousin cocked a brow. “And you think that you could actually do that,” his cousin questioned. “You think that if they can fulfill your condition, you could forgive them. Everything. Completely forgiven?”

He nodded, eliciting an exasperated sigh from his cousin. “What?” he demanded.

“Tobs,” Kentarou began, “forgiveness doesn’t come so easily, you know. You can’t put a deadline on it and can’t just... _ do _ it when you decide to.”   
  


“What do you mean?” he asked, thoroughly confused.

“I mean, even if they can learn Moonlight Sonata in six months, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to forgive them,” his cousin explained. “Your mind can decide it all it wants, but you can’t control how your heart feels about them.”

He furrowed his brows, contemplating all of what his cousin just said.

When Tobio originally proposed his condition, it was on the basis that he wanted to forgive them. He had wanted a way for them to show their sincerity. 

Learning Moonlight Sonata had seemed to be a good idea at the time, but...his cousin was right. There was no guarantee that he would be able to forgive them simply because he wanted to.

“Then what do I do?” he questioned, becoming more and more distraught as he thought it over. 

Kentarou shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never been in your situation before.”

He let out a frustrated grunt. It was such a confusing mess now that he had no idea how he should go forward from now on.

“Why not just talk to them about it?” his cousin suggested. “It’s not only your problem, you know.”

“I guess,” he murmured. But how was he going to even bring this up to them? 

He did not think that saying that he was no longer sure whether he could forgive them after they spent so much time learning the piano would be received well. 

“Why did you even have to bring this up?” he complained, though he knew that everything Kentarou said was right. “I was doing perfectly fine before you brought this up.”

Kentarou walked over, sat down directly in front of him on the bed and flicked him on the forehead with his index finger. Tobio pouted, rubbing over the area to soothe the sting. “If you’re half-hearted about this, it will only end up hurting you in the end, Tobio,” his cousin stated. “As your older cousin, it’s my job to protect you.”

“You’re not doing much protecting when you just hurt me,” he muttered.

“Shut it, you little brat.” 

Despite the harsh words, the hand petting his head was gentle and warm. He leaned into the touch, reassured by the tenderness of it.

His cousin was rough and aggressive, but he was also incredibly caring and kind towards him. Tobio could always count on Kentarou to tell him what he needed and vice versa. 

“You should talk to them,” the older boy repeated.

And because his cousin was always right when it mattered most, he nodded his agreement. He would talk to Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san tomorrow.

But right now, he wanted to enjoy this moment with his cousin who he always regarded more as a brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A soft moment with Kentarou and Tobio. It's been awhile since I wrote a chapter that was purely them talking with each other and I absolutely adore it.
> 
> This is an important chapter because Tobio realizes the flaw in his condition to forgive them and this will be the catalyst for him to open up to his soulmates more (they'll also be spending a lot more time with each other after this).
> 
> Also, I have noticed how the way I portray Tobio does hint at autism, but I don't think it's my place to write about a mental illness that I have no understanding about. I am not autistic and I don't know anyone who is either, and I think it would be rude and ignorant to people who are if I do write about it. This is not something I can just research and write about like I've been doing with other aspects of this story.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's definitely one of my favorites since I love Kentarou and Tobio together.


	93. Chapter Seventy-Nine: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I…” the blue-eyed boy said eventually, brows furrowing even deeper as he tried to find the right words. “I don’t think I can forgive you two.”
> 
> His heart dropped to his stomach. It felt as though someone had gutted him with a knife and twisted the blade inside.

His youngest soulmate, despite his constantly stoic expression, was a surprisingly easy person to read. He had many tells about him that signified his emotions and it did not help that he lacked any hint of subtlety whatsoever.

For instance, whenever he was happy, Tobio-chan had a tendency to crinkle his eyes slightly. It was barely there, not even noticeable if one were not looking for it, but it was enough to convey his cheerful mood.

When he was irritated, the furrows of his brows were deeper than his usual, scowling expression.

When he could care less about a conversation, he allowed his eyes to wander about—an indicator of how little he was paying attention.

And whenever he was nervous, Tobio-chan fidgeted with his hands and averted his eyes. His conversation abilities, which were already lacking, declined and he could do nothing but stammer out incoherent sentences.

Which was what the blue-eyed boy was currently doing—had been doing, in fact, ever since their morning practice. 

The moment he and his cousin had stepped into the gym, when his ocean gaze with Tooru’s own, the younger boy had whipped his head to the side. It happened several times throughout the day, and it was not only him who had been subjected to the treatment. Hajime had as well.

It was obvious that he had something to say to them, the fact becoming apparent when Tooru noted how he acted normally around everyone else.

And now, watching the younger boy fidgeting with his hands as they practiced the piano, he could no longer stand to keep silent. 

“Is there something you would like to tell us, Tobio-chan?” Tooru asked, causing the blue eyes to snap up and meet his own—the first time today.

“How did you…” he trailed off.

Tooru could not help but roll his eyes. It was adorable how the younger thought he was being subtle about it. “It’s pretty obvious,” he drawled. “You’ve been acting weird towards us the entire day.”

“And you’re not even listening to our practice,” Hajime added, an important note because their soulmate always had razor-sharp focus when the piano was involved.

“Oh,” Tobio-chan said.

Both Tooru and Hajime sat down on a couch directly across from Tobio-chan, giving the younger their undivided attention as they waited for him to gather his thoughts.

Tooru watched the way his eyes narrowed as he tried to piece the words together in his mind, a tender feeling warming his heart. He cherished these little moments with his soulmate. It felt normal. Familiar. Something they would witness every day. It was a look into what they could witness everyday if they earned Tobio-chan’s forgiveness.

“I…” the blue-eyed boy said eventually, brows furrowing even deeper as he tried to find the right words. “I don’t think I can forgive you two.”

His heart dropped to his stomach. It felt as though someone had gutted him with a knife and twisted the blade inside.

His vision blurred and his eyes burned with tears. Despair bloomed in his heart, overwhelming him as felt Hajime’s through their bond.

Distantly, he could see a distressed expression on Tobio-chan’s face. However, his mind was too overrun by self-ridicule and self-deprecation to register the words the younger boy was saying.

His ears were buzzing. All he could hear were the same words echoing inside his head. Again and again.

_ I don’t think I can forgive you. _

_ I don’t think I can forgive you. _

_ I don’t think I can forgive you. _

It was all his fault. It was all his fault. It was all his fault.

Because of him, Tobio-chan will never accept them as his soulmates. 

Because of him, Hajime will lose one of his soulmates.

“—re you crying?” a voice cut through his haze of self-blame. “Stop crying! Why are you crying?”

His mind recognized the voice as Tobio-chan, but was too drowned in its own misery to pay it much mind. Everything hurt.

_ This was how Tobio-chan felt when you rejected him _ , something whispered in his mind.  _ This was how you made him feel. You deserve this pain. _

He had no heart to argue with it because it was true. Tooru deserved this. He deserved to have Tobio-chan reject him—reject their bond.

He flinched when he felt a hand on his head, the touch soft and hesitant. The suddenness of it shocked him so much that it reeled him back to reality. Tooru blinked, almost certain he was hallucinating this when he registered Tobio-chan standing in front of them.

He was staring at the younger boy’s shirt, freezing as he felt the hand on his head again. It was awkward to say the least, the hand coming down to pat his head for barely a second before it lifted back. 

“What-what are you doing, Tobio-chan?” he squeaked. 

He looked into the younger boy’s face, taking note of the blush coloring his cheeks. “I—um—you-you were crying so…” he stammered out, expression pinched. “Um—well—thi-this is what my f-family does when-whenever I’m upset.”

“Why are you trying to comfort us, Kageyama?” Hajime questioned, voice weak.

“Be-because you were crying!” the younger boy exclaimed, a distressed expression on his face. “I-I didn’t know what to do, so…”

“I  _ meant _ ,” the wing spiker tried again, “why are you comforting us when you just rejected us?”

“I didn’t reject you!” Tobio-chan yelled.

What…

“You said you didn’t think you could forgive us,” Tooru stated. “Wasn’t that a rejection?”

“NO!” the ravenette protested. “I-I-I was trying to say that...that I don’t think it’s possible to forgive you just because I said I would.”

Tears began filling in his eyes again. “How is that any better?” he cried.

“Wait, no, please don’t cry,” Tobio-chan begged. “I-I meant that I think the three of us would need to put in more effort so that I could forgive you!”

“What are you talking about, Kageyama?” Hajime whispered, sniffing a bit.

“Ken-Kentarou said that I cou-couldn’t put a timeline on forgiveness,” Tobio-chan explained, still patting their heads awkwardly. “He said that-that I should tal-talk to you two about it. About what else we can do so that I could forgive you.”

“You mean...we need to figure out more ways so that you could forgive us easier. That what we’re doing right now might not be enough,” he questioned.

“Ki-kinda,” the blue-eyed boy confirmed.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Hajime groaned, and he could feel the relief through their bond.

Tooru agreed with the sentiment. Instead of expressing it with words, he instinctively reached out his arms to pull Tobio-chan into a hug, He buried his face into the younger’s stomach, sniffling into the fabric.

“Wha—”

“Just—Give me a moment, Tobio-chan,” he mumbled, his tears threatening to spill again. This time, however, was due to overwhelming relief.

“O-okay,” the blue-eyed boy agreed.

The ravenette was still petting him awkwardly, but the action was now tugging a smile onto his lips now that the shock had dissipated. It was the first time Tobio-chan initiated touch with them, and although it was in less than ideal circumstances, it was heartwarming.

  
He was so,  _ so _ relieved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly think there's something wrong with me because I was laughing the whole time I was writing this chapter.
> 
> Tobio's awful communication skills paired with Tooru's emotional personality is just a combination made for misunderstandings. I'm not really a big fan of drawn-out misunderstandings though, so any of that will usually get resolved pretty quickly within the story.
> 
> Tobio awkwardly trying to comfort his soulmates 🥺. UGH, HE'S SO PRECIOUS!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had so much fun writing it.


	94. Chapter Eighty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then what are we supposed to talk about?” Oikawa-san questioned.
> 
> “I thought you would know,” Tobio said. Oikawa-san groaned, earning another smack on the head from Iwaizumi-san. “Do you not know?”

He had no idea what was happening.

All he knew was that it was his fault—his lack of communication skills’ fault for the mess of misunderstanding that occurred.

When Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san had started crying, he was certain that that had been one of the most panicked states he had ever been in. He had had no idea what to do and had scrambled to do... _ something _ . Anything. So that they would stop crying.

And now, he had Oikawa-san’s arms wrapped around his waist and face buried in his stomach. He could still hear the occasional faint sniffles coming from the setter. 

Tobio still did not know what to do.

He was tense in the older boy’s touch, unsure of how he was supposed to stand or where to place his arms. Because this was a hug, wasn’t it? And he was pretty sure he was supposed to put his arms around the setter, too, if that was the case.

Instead of doing that, however, he had resorted to awkwardly petting the head of brown hair. He was petting Iwaizumi-san as well, but the wing spiker was hunched over, a hand covering his eyes. He assumed it was to hide the fact that the older boy had been crying.

“Ha-have you two calmed down?” he stuttered, praying that they had. He did not know how to deal with these types of situations.

“A bit,” Oikawa-san mumbled.

“Um...then, you can let go?” 

The arms around his waist tightened. “What if I don’t want to?” his soulmate asked.

His cheeks warmed. How was he supposed to answer that? He had allowed it the first time because it was his fault that the setter was crying and he was desperate for him to stop.

But now—he did not know how he would feel about that.

  
Fortunately for him, though, he did not have to decide. Iwaizumi-san had brought his hand up to smack their soulmate on the back of the head. “You’re making him uncomfortable, Shittykawa,” the wing spiker, having collected himself.

“Mean, Iwa-chan,” the setter pouted, letting go of Tobio. “What kind of soulmate are you to hit me after I was just crying?”

“I...didn’t mean to make you cry,” he stated weakly, going back to sit on the couch. 

His physical therapy had been going well enough that he could walk around a bit without support, but it would still be a few more days until he got the go ahead to get rid of the crutches. It was better for him not to put so much pressure on his leg for now in case something went wrong.

“We know, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said softly, a soft smile gracing his lips. 

“I’m not-not rejecting you,” he said.

  
“We understand now, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san reassured him.

“Good,” he mumbled, relieved that there would be no more crying. He really did not know what he was going to do if they cried again.

“So, Tobio-chan…” Oikawa-san started, “what was this about putting more effort for forgiveness?”

Tobio blinked. Right. This was what he had wanted to talk about before he started panicking. He had planned everything he wanted to say out in his head, but all of that was completely forgotten now.

Furrowing his brows, he said, “Kentarou told me that even if you learn Moonlight Sonata, it isn’t guaranteed that I could forgive you because...the mind...the heart...something about that.”   
  


“You mean that even if you forgive us in your mind, your heart will still have doubts,” Iwaizumi-san clarified for him.

He nodded. “That’s it.”

“And what do you want us to do about that, Tobio-chan?” his other soulmate asked.

“I don’t know,” he stated blankly. “Kentarou said I should talk to you about it.”

“Then what are we supposed to talk about?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“I thought you would know,” Tobio said. Oikawa-san groaned, earning another smack on the head from Iwaizumi-san. “Do you not know?”

“We aren’t really sure, either, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san told him. “We don’t exactly have experience with this type of thing.”

“But you’re older,” he argued.

“Being older doesn’t really do anything, Tobio-chan,” the setter said dryly. “It just means we’ve lived longer than you have.”

He frowned. “If you don’t know what to do and I don’t know what to do, then how are we going to figure this out?”

“Isn’t that the entire problem, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san drawled. “You can’t really ‘figure out’ forgiveness. It has to happen naturally.”

His cousin had said the same thing, only in different words, but he still did not understand. How could he forgive someone if he did not know what to do to forgive them? It seemed like a contradiction to him and he could not wrap his mind around it.

“How does it happen naturally?” 

Iwaizumi-san shrugged. “It’ll probably happen once we get to know each other more.”   
  


“But I already know you two,” Tobio stated, frowning at the answer. He knew them and knew their personalities. 

“You know us, but you don’t  _ know _ us, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stated. “As in, you don’t understand us.”

Again, with understanding.  _ He _ did not understand. “Why is understanding someone so important?” he asked.

“Because you can only care for someone if you understand them,” Oikawa-san explained. “I mean, it’s because you understand your family that you love them.”

“I love them because I love them,” he stated. “It’s not like I understand them all the time.”

“You don’t have to understand them all the time,” Iwaizumi-san told him. “You just need to understand them—understand their values, their priorities, what they care about.”

“I don’t get it.” It was all so confusing.

“You don’t have to get it,” Oikawa-san said. “It’s not something you notice, so it’s normal if you don’t get it. I’m sure you’ll understand us if we start spending more time together, Tobio-chan.”

“I spend time with you. At least an hour everyday with these lessons and more if you count practices.”

“That’s only the surface level, Kageyama. Forgiveness requires you to know us deeper than that. Like our fears, our weakness, our insecurities, stuff like that.”

Oikawa-san nodded. “That’s why we should go on dates.”

Tobio immediately wrinkled his nose at those words, an odd feeling curling into his stomach. “Why does this feel like this is exactly what you wanted?” he questioned.

“Because that’s exactly what it is,” the setter said shamelessly, a beaming grin on his face.

His expression soured at that. It was all too convenient how this was all turning out. Could they have been leading the conversation to this point? He could see Oikawa-san doing it, but Iwaizumi-san…

Eventually, he narrowed his eyes. “Going on dates will help me understand you?”

Both of them nodded.

“And that will help me forgive you?”

More nods.

“...Alright…” he agreed reluctantly. “But only once a week!”

His soulmates beamed and he could not help but feel as though he had been tricked somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PROGRESS!
> 
> Tooru totally manipulated that conversation to turn out this way. But now, they'll be spending even more time together now and Tobio will starting to get to know them more!
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	95. Chapter Eighty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobio pinched his cousin’s stomach, earning a yelp of pain and a slap on his hand. He did care much at the moment, however. His mind was too busy thinking up a million ways to make the older boy pay for this—the fucking bastard.

He was  _ burning  _ with embarrassment. So much so that he was positive that he was dyed crimson at this point.

“You’re only drawing more attention to yourself like that,” his cousin told him.

He glared at the older boy. “Shut up,” he hissed, voice low so that no one else could hear their conversation. “It’s not like I can help it!”

“It’s the truth, though,” Kentarou stated. “No one knows that you’re the songwriter and you acting like that will make them question you.”

Tobio groaned, burying his head between his cousin’s back and the booth seat. He knew the older boy was right. He knew that he should calm down because blushing would only work against him. And knowing the volleyball club, he would definitely be asked why he was acting the way he was.

Tomorrow would be the day he could finally get rid of his crutches, so today was the last that he would be going to the gym before and after school. The team had, for whatever reason, decided to throw a going away party after they finished afternoon practices—Tobio was certain that Mattsun-san and Makki-san only proposed the idea because they wanted to party.

And now, all of them were gathered at the usual restaurant. They had been seated at a round table, one that could fit everyone, and were currently waiting for their food to come.

It had been going fine and all, and he had been acting perfectly normal. Until now. Until he heard his song being played on the speakers. 

_ Sitting in my room all alone _

_ Listening the storm outside the window _

_ I’m reminded of all the times we spent _

_ How I wish we were together again _

_ I was young, I was dumb _

_ I was foolish and naive _

_ I craved and chased, staring at your back _

_ Hoping you’d turn and look at me _

“This song has been popular lately,” Oikawa-san commented, seated on the other side of his cousin. “A lot of entertainment shows have been talking about it.”

His embarrassment flared, threatening to consume him. As proud as he was of his compositions and songs, it did not mean he wanted people to know that  _ he  _ was the one responsible for them. Simply imagining the attention he would receive...it made him want to crawl in a hole and never come out.

“Isn’t it by XX Group?” Kindaichi questioned. “I see them everywhere now.”

His uncle had been pushing the group more into the public now that they have established themselves with a few successful albums. More brand deals and commercials, more appearances on TV shows. At this point, XX Group was one of the company’s main sources of income.

“They’ve been gaining more popularity,” Kunimi informed them. “Ever since one of their songs made it into the Billboard Charts in the States.”

“Well, their songs are good, after all,” Mattsun-san stated.

He groaned. “Make them stop,” he pleaded to his cousin, face still buried between the older boy’s back and the seat.

“I’ve met the songwriter before,” Kentarou declared.

“You _ fucking bastard _ ,” he snarled, still whispering so that no one could hear. “You  _ motherfucking, piece of shit, asshole _ —”

“What?” Watari-san exclaimed. He had finally managed to learn the name of the libero. “How?”

He felt Kentarou shrugged, but he knew the older boy was taking immense pleasure in this. “My father owns the company XX Group belongs to.”

“Does that mean you’ve met them?” Kindaichi questioned. 

“No,” his cousin stated. “I don’t go to my father’s company. It’s not my scene. But…”

“But?” Makki-san inquired.

“But Tobio has,” Kentarou said.

Tobio pinched his cousin’s stomach, earning a yelp of pain and a slap on his hand. He did care much at the moment, however. His mind was too busy thinking up a million ways to make the older boy pay for this—the fucking bastard.

“You have, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked, causing a scowl to surface on his face.

“I have,” he mumbled, still buried between his cousin and the seat.

“You’ve been squashed there for awhile now, Kageyama,” Kindaichi commented. “Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“No.” A blatant lie because his back was starting to cramp from the odd position.

“Is the baby crying because he’s going to miss us so much?” Makki-san crooned. “I mean, it’s understandable considering how awesome we are.”

At those words, he straightened in his seat, sending a withering glare at the upperclassman. “I’m not crying,” he grumbled. “And I could care less about you.”

“I thought you said I was your favorite person!” Mattsun-san exclaimed.

“You’ve been saying that for forever now and I have yet to hear Tobio-chan confirm it,” Oikawa-san complained.

“It’s true, though?” the middle blocker protested, a smirk on his lips. 

His soulmate whipped his head around, eyes wide as the setter asked, “It isn’t true, is it, Tobio-chan?”

“He is my favorite person,” Tobio told them before adding, “Outside of my family.”

Oikawa-san sputtered, turning a seething glare towards the middle blocker, who held up his hands in surrender. “Don’t blame me, Captain!” Mattsun-san yelled. “I can’t help it that I’m so lovable.”

“You should run fifty laps around the gym for practice tomorrow, Matsukawa,” Iwaizumi-san said cooly.

“Wha—”

“And one-hundred serves,” the vice-captain added.

“That’s not fair!” Mattsun-san protested, whipping his head towards Makki-san, who only averted his eyes. “You traitor!”

“Sorry, bro,” the other third-year said. “I’m not getting punished for this mess.”

The third-years then proceeded to break into an argument, causing the upperclassman to promptly ignore them in favor of the food that had just arrived.

“Why did I even come here?” he lamented.

“Because it’s your going away party,” Kunimi supplied helpfully. 

“They just wanted an excuse to party,” he mumbled, stabbing a forking into a piece of chicken.

“Maybe,” the other first-year agreed. “But I’m sure they’re actually going to miss you. I mean, you are their friend, after all.”

“Huh?” he started. “Friends?”

Kunimi gave him an incredulous stare, mouth gaping and looking at him as though he was dumb. “What did you think they were?”

“Uh…” he said dumbly. “Not friends?”

“For some who claims to be smart, you’re pretty stupid, Kageyama,” Kunimi stated before focusing on his food.

Was he friends with the third-years? What even qualifies them being friends? Just because they have been spending more time with each other, does that mean they were friends now? His interactions with them were based on pure coincidence, on account of his injured leg.

“Then…” Tobio began, brows scrunching, “...are we friends?”

Kunimi gave him a look that said that it was obvious. “Of course.”

He blinked. “Oh.”

He did not know what he was feeling about this, but it was not unpleasant. Warmth flowed from his chest to his very fingertips.

Friends. He found himself liking the sound of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile since I mentioned anything about his songwriting, so I thought it was about time I bring it back. Tobio being embarrassed about it is so...cute? I don't know--I just like the idea of it.
> 
> Tobio finally finding out that they were friends is so...UGH! And him asking Kunimi at the end? AHHHH!
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	96. Chapter Eighty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mizuki-san eventually settled on an outfit after two hours. But that had not been the end of her fussing. 
> 
> Because once she deemed his outfit satisfactory, his aunt then went on to fixing his hair. His hair, which was perfectly fine as it was in his opinion.

Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san arranged for a date on Saturday. Both of them had practice in the morning, so they scheduled it for the afternoon. 

He had been anxious about the idea of a date. Of spending hours alone with his soulmates. But he had promised, so he would not complain. However, it was becoming much harder to do so.

Because before he even met up with them, he was already hating everything—And he had none to blame but himself.

“ _ Mizuki-san _ ,” he grumbled. “Any one of them is fine. This isn’t that big of a deal.”   
  


His aunt had been forcing him to try on several outfits since he woke up—two hours ago. She had claimed that, as a designer, she could not allow her nephew to go on a date without the proper attire. He would not be hating this so much if it was a simple case of her picking out his clothes—his entire closet was arranged by her because she said he had an awful sense of fashion—but he had already tried on what seemed to be hundreds of outfits.

None of them seemed to satisfy her. It either “the colors clash with each other too much,” or “it’s casual,” or “it’s too formal.” There was always something wrong and, the perfectionist she is, Mizuki-san refused compromise on a less than perfect outfit.

“Hush, Tobio,” she chided. “Of course it’s a big deal. It’s your first date!”   
  


He groaned. “I’m  _ telling you _ , I’ve already been hanging around them for weeks. It doesn’t matter what I wear.”

His aunt simply ignored him, going back to the piles upon piles of clothing she had prepared last night. 

He could not help but scrunch his nose in irritation. He should not have told his aunt about the date. He should have known she would react this way.

Excusing himself to go to the bathroom, he let out a silent scream the moment the door closed. It had been awhile since he had had to go through this and he had forgotten how much he loathed it.

The same thing had happened when he was ten, although it was in a vastly different situation. 

His aunt had been assigned as the head designer for a children's clothing store. Tobio had been used as her model—Kentarou threatened bodily harm—and had gotten a bit too excited with dressing him up. Mizuki-san even went as far as putting him in skirts and dresses.

It had taken him practically begging her to let him off for his aunt to stop. He had a feeling that this time would be no different. 

With a resigned sigh, he left the safety of the bathroom and returned to his aunt’s clutches. She had at least five outfits sprawled across his bed, waiting for him to try one.

He looked at the time on the alarm clock, reading it as 12:56 PM, and hunched over in misery.

There were still three hours left until his date with his soulmates, which meant three hours of outfit changes. 

Great.

♚♚♚

Mizuki-san eventually settled on an outfit after two hours. But that had not been the end of her fussing. 

Because once she deemed his outfit satisfactory, his aunt then went on to fixing his hair. His hair, which was perfectly fine as it was in his opinion.

He protested, “I don’t need to style my hair. It doesn’t matter when they’ve seen me like this everyday.”

“It’s because they’ve seen you like this everyday that you need to style it,” his aunt had retorted before forcing him into a seat in front of a mirror. 

He scowled, glaring at the hair products she had lined up on the table. 

Why did he have to do this?

When he agreed to go on a date with his soulmates, he did not expect having to go through... _ this _ . Would he have to go through this every time they went on dates? The thought sent dread piling his stomach.

Tobio made a mental note to never—and he meant  _ never _ —tell his aunt about another date.

He felt her rake a hand over his hair, smoothing out some of the tangles before combing through with a brush. He had no idea what she would be doing with his hair and did not bother to ask. Any objections with the style would be ignored anyways, and it would save him the trouble of arguing.

Teeth from a comb parted his hair on the right side, the majority of bangs brushed to the left side of his forehead. His aunt rubbed gel between her hands before raking it through his hair, making the strand stay in place.

“There,” Mizuki-san beamed. “You look very handsome, Tobio.”

He made a noncommittal noise, still thinking all of this was unnecessary. It felt weird.

The point of the date was to get to know each other better. If he dressed up and styled his hair in a way he never would, was that not a complete contradiction of the purpose of a date? 

“What the…” he heard his cousin.

In the mirror, he could see Kentarou looking around the house wide-eyed. The house, which was now littered with countless articles of clothing throughout. Once the older boy caught sight of Tobio’s scowl, however, understanding immediately dawned on his expression.

“You’re in a rather bad mood,” his cousin stated, smirking.

“Shut up,” he ordered.

“Don’t you think you’re putting in too much effort for a date?” 

He was tempted to claw at his cousin’s face for that obnoxious question. Kentarou knew better than anyone that  _ this _ was not his idea.   
  


“It’s the appropriate amount of effort,” his aunt stated, glaring at her son. “Don’t tease your cousin, Kentarou.”

His cousin snorted but said nothing.

When it finally came time for his date, Tobio left the house already exhausted. However, it was not fair to his soulmates for him to keep that attitude during their date. So, he spent the time walking to the meeting spot—the usual restaurant—collecting his thoughts and soothing his irritation.

He arrived to see his soulmates already waiting for him. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they did not notice his approach.

Tobio coughed once he was beside them, signaling his arrival. Both upperclassmen turned to him.

“Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san beamed, “you’re he—”

The setter scanned him from head to toe, staring at him with wide eyes. Iwaizumi-san was doing the same, neither of them uttering a word.

It unnerved him enough to cause him to shift on his feet, suddenly self-conscious about his appearance. “What,” he demanded. “Do I look weird or something?”

“You…” Iwaizumi-san said, voice lower than usual, “...look...fine.”

They kept staring at him without saying a word, causing the air between them to go taut with tension. It stretched until it became too much for him to handle. It was clear that neither were going to make any effort to break the silence, he decided to do so himself.

“Well, shouldn’t we get going?” he asked, having left the plans for the date for them to decide.

The question seemed to snap the two out of whatever daze they were in. “Right,” Oikawa-san mumbled. “Let’s go.”

“Both of you are being weird,” he stated. 

And this date would be even more awkward if they continued being that way.

Tobio hoped this would not be the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This is Tobio's hairstyle](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/744008800938543110/)
> 
> So Tobio is no longer on crutches, which is good because that was getting a bit annoying to write (the going away party last chapter was because he wouldn't need to use the crutches anymore and therefore would no longer be going to their practice, for those who were confused).
> 
> I fully believe that Tobio has no sense of fashion whatsoever. His aunt is the only reason he's not wearing sweatpants and hoodies everywhere. You'll all see his outfit in the next chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this. The next chapter will be in Hajime's perspective.


	97. Chapter Eight-Three: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime was dying. He was absolutely dying.
> 
> He had expected his youngest soulmate to show up in hoodies and sweatpants. He had expected casual clothing. He had expected Tobio to not care enough to dress up.
> 
> He had not expected...this.

Hajime was dying. He was absolutely dying.

He had expected his youngest soulmate to show up in hoodies and sweatpants. He had expected casual clothing. He had expected Tobio to not care enough to dress up.

He had not expected... _ this _ .

Dressed in a fitted turtleneck that emphasized his slender waist and toned chest, the black color complimented his ivory complexion perfectly. The shirt was tucked into low rise, pale blue jeans, the material clinging to the delicate curves of his hips and legs. Completing the entire outfit was a navy blue trench coat that brought out the blue hues of his eyes.

His hair, which was always in the same fringe style, was parted towards the left, revealing his rarely seen forehead. And with his piercings...those piercings should be illegal with how  _ good _ they were on him. 

Tobio was ethereal—simply looking at him was a sin.

Hajime was positive he would be going to hell if that were the case, because he. Could. Not. Look. Away. His eyes were absolutely glued on the younger boy.

And Tooru...Tooru’s gaze was downright  _ ravenous _ as he stared at their soulmate, who was walking between the two of them as they made their way to the movie theater.

“Stop staring at me,” Tobio complained eventually. 

His cheeks were dusted with red, pupils shaking as he stared resolutely at the ground. It was another thing that Hajime thought was very contradictory about Tobio—how he could be embarrassed so easily when he was so shameless most of the time.

“Sorry, Tobio-chan,” Tooru chuckled, obviously finding amusement in the younger’s embarrassment. “It’s just—We didn’t expect you to dress up.”

A deeper red colored his face. “It—I—My aunt!” he exclaimed. “Said it was important.”

A smile pulled at Hajime’s lips, and he made a mental note to thank Tobio’s aunt for this when they met each other. 

“Aw,” Tooru cooed. “So you didn’t dress up for us, Tobio-chan?”

“NO!” the ravenette protested loudly, face flushing an ever deeper red if it were possible.

“Don’t get so worked up now, Tobio-chan,” the setter teased, the glimmer in his eyes clearly indicating that he was enjoying this. 

Tobio spluttered and Hajime chuckled, reaching his hand to pet his head subconsciously. He kind of understood why Kyoutani did it so often with how soft and silky the raven locks were.

When he saw the younger boy’s shoulder tense, however, he immediately retracted his hand. “Sorry,” he apologized. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”

“No,” the blue-eyed boy mumbled. “Was just...surprised.”

A sense of joy bloomed in his chest as he remembered how, just a few months ago, the younger boy would slap his hand away at the slightest contact. The fact that Tobio was now allowing them to touch him—albeit still hesitantly and with reluctance—was a testament that the ravenette was slowly but surely forgiving them.

“We’re here!” Tooru announced with grandiose.

“Why did you guys choose the theater?" Tobio asked as they entered the building.

“We thought it would be a good starter for you, Kageyama,” Hajime stated. “You don’t like talking and you’re still uncomfortable around us sometimes, so the movies would be a perfect place for you to get used to us without any pressure.”

“Oh,” the blue-eyed boy said, furrowing his brows.

“Are you touched by our kindness, Tobio-chan?” Tooru crooned, immediately earning a scowl from the younger boy.

“No.”

Hajime chuckled, knowing full well it was a lie. Tooru might be the more observant one of the two of them, but he could also pick up on his soulmates’ subtle tells. When he was lying, Tobio tended to direct his eyes to the side, which he was currently doing.

Perhaps to cover up the fact, the ravenette declared, “I want food.”

Tooru rolled his eyes, a smile on his lips. “Of course you do. When do you not want food?”

Tobio glared. Before the two could break into a meaningless argument, Hajime asked, “What type of food do you want, Kageyama?”

“Any,” was the vague reply.

“Right,” Tooru said dryly. “Then you should just get me the usual, Iwa-chan.”

“Me?” he questioned with a raised brow and crossed arms. “You’re the one who’ll be getting the food, Shittkawa.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I don’t trust the two of you to be alone without arguing,” he stated. “Now, go.”

“So bossy,” Tooru grumbled before walking to the line for food.

He turned to his other soulmate and frowned. He had not noticed how uncomfortable the younger boy, who was shifting from foot to foot, was until then. “Is something wrong, Kageyama?”

“Umm...no. Not really. Just...a lot of people.”

Indeed, the theater was crowded today on account of it being a Saturday. However, Hajime suspected that that was not the sole reason for his unease. It was likely due to the fact that people were looking at them—at Tobio, more specifically.

He could not blame them considering he had been staring at his soulmate a lot today as well. At the same time, it was clear how restless Tobio was getting with all the staring.

Before he could think better of it, Hajime grabbed his soulmate’s hand and dragged him to the ticket booth. “Is there a specific movie you want to watch, Kageyama?”

“I-I don’t know any movies,” the younger boy answered, eyes staring at their intertwined hands.

“Then do you have a genre you prefer?” 

“I want a movie with good music,” Tobio offered. A movie with a good soundtrack. Hajime could work with that. 

He guided the younger boy to the ticket booth, which was located in the corner of the theater. There were a handful of people there, but it was out of sight enough that his soulmate would not be as uncomfortable.

As they waited in line, he stared at his options. Most of the movies they were playing were superhero movies. Of those movies, he had only watched  _ The Amazing Spider-Man _ and  _ The Dark Knight Rises _ , both of which he would say had good soundtracks.

_ X-Men: First Class  _ also was a reasonable option. He had been meaning to watch it, and it had enough supernatural elements to satisfy Tooru. The reviews he had heard about it also mentioned something about a good soundtrack.

“Are you okay with watching X-Men: First Class?” he asked the blue-eyed boy.

Tobio nodded.

When they bought the tickets, Tooru had already been waiting for them with food in his arms. “What took you guys so long?” the setter whined.

Hajime took some food to relieve his soulmate from the risk of spilling. “It was a long line.”

“What movie are we watching?” Tooru inquired.

“X-Men: First Class,” he replied, tugging on Tobio’s hand that he was still holding.

The action drew Tooru’s attention, a brow rising on the setter’s face once he saw their hands clasped together. Hajime shrugged in response to the questioning gaze and led both of them to the appropriate room.

“I didn’t expect you to like superhero movies, Tobio-chan,” Tooru commented.

“I don’t,” Tobio stated. “I like movies with good music and Iwaizumi-san said it had a good soundtrack.”

The setter hummed, but said nothing.

Once they finally sat down, Tobio seated between the two of them, the preview had already finished and the movie began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hajime and Tooru being whipped is gold and I will never get tired of it. 
> 
> So that was the outfit...I've literally had an image of Tobio in a turtleneck since forever in my head and am so satisfied I finally managed to actually write it out.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it didn't show much of the date, but I wanted it to be in Tobio's perspective more than the other two.


	98. Chapter Eighty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He did not particularly enjoy superhero movies. There was no reason for it, specifically, but they simply never appealed to him.
> 
> Watching one, seated between his soulmates, was not so bad though.

He did not particularly enjoy superhero movies. There was no reason for it, specifically, but they simply never appealed to him.

Watching one, seated between his soulmates, was not so bad though. 

It was not as awkward as he had anticipated a movie date to be. He thought that just sitting there next to each other without talking would create an uncomfortable tension. However, it was the complete opposite of his expectations.

With the sound of the movie occupying his mind and the dimly lit room clouding his vision, his attention was focused more on the movie than his soulmates—Well, he was focused more on the music rather than the movie itself.

_ X-Men: First Class _ had opened with a series of rapid strings, introducing the main theme and creating a hopeful tone. A brass sound gradually began appearing in the background as the music built and built, an electric guitar jumping into the fray. The track then explodes with a burst of the main theme before coming to a conclusion with dramatic, heavy brass finish.

He thought it was well-orchestrated composition. Both tonally and thematically, it perfectly portrayed the grand and vastness of the world of mutants the movie was centered around.

The actual movie began in a German concentration camp, where a boy was separated from his parents by Nazi guards. “Why is he able to move the metal gates?” Tobio asked Iwaizumi-san, whispering.

His soulmate leaned over slightly, his eyes glued on the screen. “He’s a mutant. It’s his power.”

“His power is controlling metal?”

“Not exactly,” was the reply. “He controls magnetic fields.”

Tobio nodded, still not understanding. It did not make sense how someone could control something like a magnetic field with only their mind. 

“Oikawa-san,” he whispered, “how do they have superpowers?”

“They were born with a genetic trait called the X-Gene,” the setter explained. “It changes their physiological structure and gives them superhuman abilities and powers.”

He did not see how a simple mutation could give someone superpowers. Gene mutations could result in alterations of one’s physiological structure, sometimes resulting in diseases, but that does not explain how it can result in superhuman abilities.

“Is the gene passed down?” Tobio asked.

Oikawa-san nodded. 

He watched as the scene changed and a boy holding a bat appeared. The boy stalked into the kitchen to see his mother, who was not really his mother but another mutant.

“Why would you invite someone who broke into your house to live with you?” 

“Charles is happy that he’s not the only mutant and sympathizes with Raven,” Iwaizumi-san told him.

“That doesn’t change the fact that she broke into his home,” he pointed out. “It’s stupid.”

Both of his soulmates chuckled at the comment. “It’s the magic of cinema, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san stated.

“That’s stupid,” he repeated.

Breaking and entering a home earns the perpetrator a misdemeanor charge or incarceration. It does not result in the perpetrator becoming adopted or fostered or whatever. And for what? Because she was “different” like him?

Not to mention, she had been looking to steal food as well. What if she had intended to steal other things in addition to food? The boy, Charles’s family seemed to be rich, so it was highly possible.

“Don’t think too much about the details, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san advised him. “Just enjoy the movie as a whole.”

And he tried to follow the advice. He really did. However, there were some aspects of the movie he could just not get past. One of them was the plot about Shaw and his Hellfire Club attempting to liberate mutants through a nuclear annihilation—That was rather stupid since he did not think mutants were impervious to nukes.

He also found the special effects a little odd at times, but not so much that it would be distracting.

What he found himself most enjoying was the music of the movie, which was what he had requested of Iwaizumi-san to begin with.

He particularly enjoyed the track played during the training montage. It was a suitably motivational piece that is particularly heavy on the heroic tone. After a few seconds, the established strings made their entrance and are then closely followed by a few notes from the main theme, courtesy of the electric guitar. When the volume increases and the percussion starts to build, so does the tension. And then the strings start speeding up again before it gives the thematic explosion.

The rest of the movie passed by in a blur after that, with him paying more attention to the soundtrack than the movie itself. 

He chose to spend the time observing his soulmates, taking great amusement in watching their reactions as the movie progressed. 

Iwaizumi-san, he noted, seemed to particularly like action movies. Every time there was a fight sequence or action scene, the wing spiker leaned forward on his seat. His emerald eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation, and he was clearly restless with the way his body trembled.

Oikawa-san, on the other hand, did not show the same enthusiasm for the movie as Iwaizumi-san did. The setter kept a neutral expression of it, though his eyes did light up anytime there was a demonstration of the mutants’ powers. He took it as the older boy being interested in supernatural things.

By the time the ending credits appeared on the screen, Tobio was half-asleep. It was only due to Oikawa-san announcing that it was time to leave did he even realize the movie ended.

The setter seemed incredibly amused with his drowsy state. “Come on, Tobio-chan!” he roused. “Get up.”

“I know,” he grumbled, rubbing his eyes to stay awake.

Iwaizumi-san chuckled. “Was the movie that boring?”

He shook his head, only rising to his feet when Oikawa-san pulled him by the hand to stand. “It was okay,” he stated. 

Oikawa-san did not let go of his hand as the two older boys led him out of the theater. Tobio did not mind either, his habit of being clingy whenever he was tired making its appearance. He did not know when he developed this habit, but it was something he could not get rid of no matter how much he tried.

He squinted when against the bright lights of the cinema, eyes yet to have adjusted from the dimly lit rooms of the theaters.

“Where are we going now?” he asked as they made their way out into the streets.

“We were thinking of going to a restaurant,” Iwaizumi-san answered.

Tobio hummed. “I like food,” he agreed. “And I’m hungry, too.” The popcorn and snacks Oikawa-san had bought were not exactly filling, after all.

Oikawa-san let out a breathy laugh. “You’re always hungry, Tobio-chan.”

He was about to retort something completely useless when the sight of a store caught his eye. Tobio stopped walking, causing his soulmates to stop as well.

He pointed to the records store across the street. “Could we go there first?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not updating yesterday. I had a migraine for a good half of the day and couldn't bring myself to write anything. I managed to write at least half of this chapter, but couldn't finish by the time I went to sleep.
> 
> The fact that Tobio is so confused about X-Men makes me laugh and I don't why. Him focusing more on the music than the movie itself also seems in line with his character, too.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> P.S. Thanks to Lozzatron for notifying me about the title. I upload these late into the night sometimes and it completely slips my mind. Numerous times already I forget to include the title at all.


	99. Chapter Eight-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being with his soulmates had been...normal. Comfortable—surprisingly. Although it had been a bit awkward and tense at first, they had fallen into an easy atmosphere by the time they left the music store. Tobio would not be opposed to doing this more often.

Despite its plain and simple exterior, the interior of the music store was bursting with colors and designs. Its walls were colorblocked with white, black, and purple colors, giving it a very modern edge. Scattered throughout the walls were different drawings of various music notes and music staffs.

In the center of the store were several record and cd players, each one equipped with headphones. Shelves lined the back of the store, stocked with albums, CDs, and records of all kinds of genres. 

People were roaming about, browsing for whatever music they were looking for. There was a quiet murmur resounding throughout the store, a result of hushed discussions about various music. 

He was in his element here—it was the type of environment he thrived in.

“Did you want to buy something, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked him.

He shook his head. “I don’t need to buy anything.” 

“Then why are we here?” the setter wondered curiously.

An album cover caught the corner of his eyes and he did not hesitate to walk over to it. It was a simple design with a triangle, which he supposed was a prism, in the center. A ray of light went through the prism, coming out as a rainbow.

He looked over his shoulder to make sure his soulmates were behind him before saying, “A date is supposed to help me understand you two, right?” 

Both of them nodded, wearing equally confused expressions. 

“Well, I don’t really know how to understand people, but I do understand music. So I figured, if I listened to some of the songs you two liked, I might understand you better.”

Once he opened the album, he was met with the title, “The Dark Side of The Moon,” and the artist, Pink Floyd. If he remembered correctly, they were an English rock band.

When he turned around to hear the album on one of the CD players, he was startled by the sight of his soulmates. They were just standing there, mouths slightly opened and wearing surprised expressions. Their eyes were wide, an unknown emotion glimmering in their depths as they stared at him.

“What?” he demanded, though his voice was shaky and weak. They were staring at him so much today that it was no longer just his paranoia. 

“...It’s...nothing,” Iwaizumi-san breathed, giving him a strange look.

“Then do you just not want to—”

“We want to!” Oikawa-san blurted, hands fluttering as the setter quickly reassured him.

“You’re still standing there,” he pointed out, causing them to immediately wander off to look for the music they liked.

In the meantime, he made his way to the cd player. He made sure to put on headphones so as to not disturb others before starting the music.

Its opener, “Speak to Me,” came as a surprise to him. Tobio had thought there was something wrong with the cd player until he heard the sound of a heartbeat resounding in his ear. And then came the sound of a ticking clock, soon followed by whispers and maniacal laughter.

A shudder ran through him then. He had not expected the sense of horror that poked at his heart.

In the background, he heard what sounded like a cash register before the noise of a helicopter made its appearance. A high-pitched scream and then backward piano chords, leading into the next song titled, “Breathe.”

“Breathe” was very minimalistic in its composition, consisting of only an electric guitar and lap steel guitar. The song was slow-paced and rich in texture, the lyrics complimenting the laid-back and hazy nature of the instrumentals.

He did not manage to listen to the next song, however, because his soulmates returned by his side then. Tobio saw them approaching from the corner of his eye, pausing the music and turning to face them. Both had a few CDs in hand.

“I can’t believe I actually found this,” Oikawa-san stated, waving around an album he recognized as “Weightless” by Marconi Union. “I thought they only sold it digitally.”

He took it from the setter, surprised that the upperclassman listened to something like this. “Do you stress a lot, Oikawa-san?”

“What?”

“The song. The band worked with a sound therapist to create it,” he explained. “It reduces stress.”

“I mean...yeah?” the setter said, a mixture of confusion and astonishment in his expression. “It’s relaxing so I like to listen to it.”

“Huh.” 

Not only that, but some of the other songs Oikawa-san had chosen had something to do with stress. It seemed as though, judging from the song selection, the setter stressed. A lot. He would have never figured with how flamboyant the older boy was half the time.

“You cry whenever you listen to this, don’t you, Oikawa-san?” he asked, waving around Adele’s “Someone Like You.”

“Wha—” the setter sputtered.

Iwaizumi-san laughed. “He sobs like a baby every time,” the wing spiker confirmed.

“I do not!” Oikawa-san protested, cheeks flushing.

A soft chuckle breezed past his lips. “You shouldn’t be so embarrassed, Oikawa-san,” he told the older boy. “According to scientists, almost everything about the song is arranged to make you cry.”

“Is...is that so…” the setter breathed.

He nodded before taking a look at the remainder of his songs. Most of them were pop and rock, which coincided more with the image Oikawa-san presented to the world: confident, extroverted, energetic. From his selection, he also seemed incredibly emotional—which was strange because Tobio was most accustomed to his calm and cool exterior.

“You have better taste in music than I thought you would,” he stated.

“Wha—Rude, Tobio-chan!” the setter yelled, eliciting another laugh from Iwaizumi-san and a small smile from him.

He moved onto Iwaizumi-san’s songs, going through the various CDs and was surprised to see some country music thrown in here and there. 

“You listen to country, Iwaizumi-san?” He would have never imagined.

The wing spiker shrugged. “I like the sound of it,” he stated, before shifting on his feet a bit. “Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

“Not at all,” Tobio denied quickly, shaking his head. “Just means you’re empathetic and habitual.”

Country listeners tend to be extroverted, hardworking, and conventional. They like familiarity and tend to be very stable in their emotions. Now that he thought about it, it fit with Iwaizumi-san’s personality more than he would have imagined. 

There was also a lot of metal thrown into the mix as well. “I like metal as well,” he stated.

“You do?” Iwaizumi-san asked, gaping.

He felt offended at the reaction. “What’s wrong with me liking metal?”

“Nothing,” the ace quickly assured him. “Just...I didn’t expect you to like metal.”

“A lot of people who like classical music like metal,” he informed the older boy, huffing. “Don’t be so judgmental.”

“Wha—I’m not being judgmental!” Iwaizumi-san defended.

Tobio ignored him, gathering all the CDs in his arms and walking to the counter. “What are you doing, Tobio-chan?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he questioned, taking out his credit card and watching as the cashier scanned all of the items. “I’m buying everything.”   
  


He thanked the cashier before walking out of the store, his soulmates trailing behind, both wearing dumbfounded expressions.

♚♚♚

Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san escorted him back to his house around 8:00 PM. It was a comfortable silence as they walked, comparably different from the awkward tension of that evening.

“I still think you should have let us pay for those CDs, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san stated. “We were the ones who asked you out, after all.”

Tobio groaned, rolling his eyes. “That’s the tenth time you’ve told me this, Iwaizumi-san.  _ I told you _ that since I’m the one who asked for them, I would pay for them.”

“Give it up, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa-san sang. “You might be stubborn, but Tobio-chan’s even more. You won’t be able to win this argument.”

A smug expression made its way across his face as he watched Iwaizumi-san frown, wage an internal war in his head, before his shoulder slumped in defeat. 

“Fine,” the wing spiker grumbled.

“You should have just given up from the beginning,” Tobio told the older boy. “It would have saved us so much time.”

They reached the gates of his family’s home, which were unlocked for him to enter. 

“Did you have fun today, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked.

“I did,” he said, surprised that it was true.

Being with his soulmates had been...normal. Comfortable—surprisingly. Although it had been a bit awkward and tense at first, they had fallen into an easy atmosphere by the time they left the music store. Tobio would not be opposed to doing this more often.

“We should do this again,” he said without thinking. When both of them froze, he cocked his head to the side in confusion. “What?”

“Are-are you asking us out, Tobio-chan?”

“No,” he denied.

“You did!” Iwaizumi-san protested. “You just said, ‘we should do this again.’ That’s asking us out.”

“Huh? No it isn't. I just meant that I had fun and that I’d like to…”

Heat rushed to his face as he realized he  _ did _ ask them out again. Granted, he had agreed to go on a date with them once a week...but it was an entirely separate matter when  _ he _ was the one asking  _ them _ .

“I just—I meant—I had fun today,” he sputtered, “and I-I wouldn’t mind spending more time with you—” When he realized that did not sound any better, he yelled, “I’ll see you two tomorrow!”

Kentarou snickered when he came inside with a crimson face. “Had fun?” the older boy drawled.

“Shut up!” he demanded, launching a pillow straight at him. 

His cousin barely dodged it.


	100. Chapter Eight-Six: Kentarou's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He narrowed his eyes at the fellow second-year. Kentarou usually never paid much attention to his teammates beyond Iwaizumi-san—on account of him being a wing spiker as well—and Oikawa-san— he’s the one who sets to Kentarou. However, something, probably instinct, told him he should start paying more attention to Yahaba from now on.

Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san were too happy, Kentarou thought. Much, _ much  _ too happy for it to be an insignificant matter.

The setter had not stopped smiling since he stepped into the gym, an obnoxious grin stretching across his obnoxious face. And it was not the fake one that threw at the girls squealing like pigs over him either. No, it was a genuine, beaming smile that radiated happiness.

Iwaizumi-san, although not as obvious as his soulmate, was just as noticeably happy. He usually had a serious expression during practice, rarely smiling even when he scored a point during practice matches. However, the wing spiker had an ever present smile—small but there—that had not slipped once.

Kentarou remembered his cousin’s flushed face the night before, the embarrassment glistening in the depths of his eyes. He had tried to ask the younger boy last night, but he only managed to get incoherent sputtering in response.

A growl burst from his lips. They did something. They definitely did something to Tobio, he concluded. And he was going to kill them for it.

“Glaring at them won’t do anything, Kyoutani,” Yahaba drawled, startling him with how close they were.

He scowled. “It’s none of your business.”

“I’ve said this multiple times already, but you’re too overprotective with your cousin,” the setter said, utterly ignoring him.

“Like I said, it’s none of your business,” Kentarou hissed. “And what makes you think it’s about Tobio?”

Yahaba shrugged. “The only time you’re actually angry with Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san is when your cousin is involved.”

He narrowed his eyes at the fellow second-year. Kentarou usually never paid much attention to his teammates beyond Iwaizumi-san—on account of him being a wing spiker as well—and Oikawa-san— he’s the one who sets to Kentarou. However, something, probably instinct, told him he should start paying more attention to Yahaba from now on.

“Kageyama-kun isn’t a baby, you know,” the setter continued. “I’m sure he can handle himself fine. And they’re  _ his  _ soulmates, so I don’t see how this is any of your business either.”

“It is my business,” he growled. “They’ve already hurt him before, so who’s to say they won’t do it again.”

Just remembering the fact they had rejected him had Kentarou fuming. If not for the younger boy’s request, he would have done a lot more to make them suffer than he was currently doing—which was almost  _ nothing _ . 

“Why are you so protective of him anyways?” Yahaba asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow. 

Because he could still remember the day Tobio arrived at their house, freshly out of the hospital after being abandoned by his mother. His ocean-blue eyes had been so despondent that it sent shivers crawling down his spine. In the new environment, the little boy had clung onto his father’s leg, hiding from his and his mother’s curious eyes.

He remembered how his cousin had flinched every time one of his parents would try to reach out to him. Tobio had trembled every time they raised their voices even the slightest bit, not letting even a whimper escape as he squeezed tear-filled eyes shut closed. 

As the older one, Kentarou had made it his responsibility to protect the younger boy from anything that upset him. He was relentless to anyone that hurt Tobio and he could not seem to rid himself of that behavior even now.

Especially with the ravenette attending Aoba Johsai, where his soulmates and former teammates—all of whom abandoned him like the bitch that was his egg donor did.

However, Kentarou could not say any of those thoughts aloud, so he could only glare at the setter and snarl, “It’s. None. Of. Your. Business.”

“It  _ is _ my business, though,” the setter rebuked. “Your relationship with our captains affects our performance during games. The animosity you show towards Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san is probably the only reason the coach had yet to put you in a game.”

He had no retort for that and could only keep his mouth shut.

It was probably true, anyways. Kentarou knew that, among the wing spikers on the team, his power was second only to Iwaizumi-san. The turnip head might be more of a team player than him, but he was a more skilled spiker overall.

Tobio had said the same thing—though the younger did say that the turnip head would become better than him if he slacked. Despite no longer being able to play, his cousin had always had the highest aptitude for volleyball than anyone he had met. The blue-eyed boy was always brutally honest when it came to the sport, so Kentarou had no reason to not believe him.

“I’m pretty sure Kageyama-kun would be upset to find out he was the reason his cousin wasn’t playing in games,” Yahaba said.

Kentarou glared, not appreciating the obvious threat. He did not doubt the setter would actually tell Tobio, which would then cause the younger boy to feel guilty for telling him about the situation with his soulmates.

“Why the hell are you doing this anyway?” he demanded. As far as he could tell, the other second-year was more on the reserved side and never got involved in something that had nothing to do with him. It was weird that the setter was having this conversation with him.

“Because the upperclassmen want to beat Shiratorizawa. And so does everyone else on the team,” Yahaba stated. “I hate to admit it, but you’re necessary to accomplish that.”

It still seemed a bit excessive for the setter if that was the only reason. At least, in his opinion. It was not as though he knew the other boy that well, anyways.

“Is that so?” he grumbled, not really caring that much,

“Do you understand?” the setter pressed, eyes narrowing and hand on his hips.

“I do, I do.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“Whatever,” he grunted. 

All he wanted to do was play volleyball. Even if he could not play in games, he would find other ways to do so.

And it seemed that he would have to because Kentarou was not letting go of his anger towards the two captains any time soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little KyouHaba interaction for the soul. They are an underrated couple in my opinion. At this point in the story, neither of them know they're soulmates yet, but that will remedied soon.
> 
> Also, I messed up on the timeline a bit. The first Interhigh match is in June. The Spring Qualifiers is the one that's in August. I'm glad that I caught it at this point, when the story around June-July, otherwise that would have been a pain to fix. So Interhigh matches will start in the next few chapters--it's a bit abrupt, but it can't be helped since I messed up.
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	101. Chapter Eight-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He crossed his arms. “I thought you knew better than me that a duet requires trust,” he questioned. “You lying is obviously not going to build trust anytime soon.”
> 
> “I’m not lying.”
> 
> “Uh-huh,” he grunted dryly. “And I’m a great conversationalist.”

Eita Semi, for as long as Tobio had known him, had always been reckless and bold in his playing. He forged ahead without reserve, regardless of mistakes and criticism. He was, perhaps, one of the most emotional musicians of their age and his playing never failed to draw forth the emotion he intended from the audience.

He was also as equally as arrogant as Tobio when it came to music.

As such, he had expected the violinist to choose a piece composed from the romantic era of classical music, when composers often aimed to showcase their abilities. Composers such as Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, and Bach were more towards his preference.

Tobio did not expect him to choose a piece by Debussy, whose music required a more delicate touch than the older boy’s bold playing.

“Are you looking to change your style?” he had asked, unable to help his curiosity.

Ever since they confirmed the fact that they would be performing together, they had yet to meet even once to discuss the matter. So they had both agreed to meet at a restaurant once the third-year’s volleyball practice had ended. 

Semi-san only shrugged in response. “Violin Sonata by Debussy is convenient. Considering we have about a month until we have to perform, a twelve-minute piece will be easiest,” the violinist stated.

Tobio narrowed his eyes, unconvinced by the older boy’s lies. Semi-san would never choose a song simply for convenience. Although he was not as meticulous as Tobio was, the violinist would never treat music with such indifference.

He crossed his arms. “I thought you knew better than me that a duet requires trust,” he questioned. “You lying is obviously not going to build trust anytime soon.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Uh-huh,” he grunted dryly. “And I’m a great conversationalist.”

Semi-san wrinkled his nose in annoyance. “Why do you care so much why I chose Violin Sonata by Debussy? The reason doesn’t matter that much.”

“It doesn’t,” Tobio conceded, “but I’d still like to know. I am going to be playing it, after all. I should at least know the reason why I’m playing that piece in particular.”

The violinist only shrugged again. “I thought it would suit the atmosphere for the business party,” was the answer he received. 

It was neither a lie nor the truth, and he knew he would not be getting a proper answer out of the older boy. He scowled, not at all happy that he would have to let the matter go now.

“So you’re okay with the song?” the violinist asked, completely ignoring his displeasure.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” he muttered. “You’re better when it comes to selecting songs for duets anyways.”

Tobio was not someone who was good when it came to teamwork—the situation in junior high was evident of that fact—and had a hard time choosing which pieces would be most suitable for the both of them. Semi-san was much better in that regard, every song he chose able to draw their abilities out to their fullest potential.

“Aww,” the older boy cooed. “I knew you trusted me.”

His scowl deepened. “I’ve played with you enough times already that it’s only obvious I trust you by now.”

“You’ve gotten so much cuter since the last time I saw you,” Semi-san crooned.

Heat rushed to his head, startled by the sudden comment. “I am not cute,” he hissed, blinking rapidly to disperse his embarrassment.

_ Cute _ was not a word anyone would use to describe him.  _ Scary  _ suited him better with his deep scowls and glaring eyes. Not to mention that his height was already enough to intimidate most people. So no, he was not  _ cute _ . 

Anyone who called him that was either blind or delusional.

“Oh?” the older boy hummed, quirking a brow in amusement. “Your upperclassmen seem to think differently, though.”

He furrowed his brows in confusion. “Who are you even talking about?”

“Oikawa and Iwaizumi.”

“They don’t think I’m cute,” he protested. 

Semi-san gave him a look that said he was stupid. “You’re either being willfully ignorant or you’re just dense as a brick. I thought they were going to murder me the last time we met.”

“That was because you’re from Shiratorizawa,” Tobio stated. 

Even in junior high, he knew that his soulmates—Oikawa-san in particular—had a bad relationship with Shiratorizawa. It was probably because they had never actually been able to beat the other school in a tournament. Or any game, for that matter.

“Trust me, Yama-kun,” the violinist said. “Me being from Shiratorizawa had nothing to do with the reason why they were so hostile.”

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san don’t think I’m cute,” he repeated.

“Oikawa calls you Tobio-chan, though?” Semi-san pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. “Only to annoy me. The same reason why you keep calling me Yama-kun.” And he had told both of them to stop  _ multiple _ times already to no avail.

“Ask them,” the violinist said. “I guarantee you they’ll say that yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, you are cute.”

“I am not asking them that,” he hissed, cheeks flaming,

Tobio thought Semi-san was spouting nothing but nonsense. Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san did  _ not  _ think he was cute and there was no way  _ anyone _ would ever think he was cute. There was no way he would embarrass himself by asking them something he already knew the answer to.

“Why are you insistent on this anyways?” he asked. “It’s not like it’s any of your business whether they actually think I’m cute—which they don’t.”

The older boy shrugged. “It’s interesting—your relationship with them that is. It’s my new source of entertainment.”

“I am so honored that you find my relationship so amusing,” he said sarcastically.

“You should be,” Semi-san agreed, eliciting another scowl from him. “There is not much in this world that can entertain me as much.”

“You’re an asshole.”   
  
“So are you.”

“And arrogant.”

“Again. You are, too.”

  
He growled, earning a burst of laughter from the older boy, and made a mental note to  _ never _ allow Semi-san to meet either Mattsun-san or Makki-san. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your lovely comments on yesterday's chapter. I can't believe I actually broke 100 (again: this was supposed to be 50 chapters at most).
> 
> Anyways, we haven't heard from Eita in a while so I dedicated a whole chapter to him and Tobio together.
> 
> Tobio being oblivious is great. The fact that even someone who interacted with his soulmate for barely thirty minutes can tell how whipped IwaOi are for him and Tobio still doesn't realize--I like to think that that is part of their punishment for rejecting him too.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	102. Chapter Eighty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s not only them!” the older boy quickly shouted, only confirming his suspicions. “I don’t get along with anyone on the team.”
> 
> “Kentarou!” he exclaimed, highly distressed. “I didn’t tell you about the rejection for-for-for...this to happen!”
> 
> If he had known that talking about his soulmates and their rejection would affect his cousin’s position on the team, Tobio would have never told the older boy about it.

Kentarou, for all his intent to hide his agitation, was noticeably restless when he came to meet Tobio for lunch. His brows were set in a deep furrow and his scowl was harsh, his honey-brown eyes glinting with a hardness that was rarely ever seen.

His cousin did not even bother to greet him before sitting down and tearing into his sandwich with a growl, uselessly glaring at the rooftop.

“What’s wrong?” he asked when it became obvious the older boy would not be explaining his mood anytime soon.

“Nothing,” Kentarou grunted, ripping another piece into his sandwich.

“You’ll have to do better than that to fool me,” he stated.

When his cousin did not respond, Tobio could only sigh in exasperation. For all of the older boy’s fussing and protectiveness over him, Kentarou was so... _ uncaring _ when it came to himself. His cousin would never confide his problems with Tobio if he did not force it out of him sometimes.

And it was not even the case of him not being ready either—Kentarou would tell him point-blank if that were the case—No, it was because he was simply being stubborn.

“Let me guess, then,” he said, knowing that would be the only way he would figure out what was wrong. “It can’t be that you got into trouble with a teacher again…”

His cousin would not be so quiet if that were the case. Kentarou, when lectured by a teacher, would always grumble complaints or mutter curses directed towards said teacher. 

“And it can’t be that you got into a fight with someone…”

There were no signs of injury that he could see on the older boy’s body for one. Not to mention, his cousin  _ never _ lost a fight—Even if he was irritated afterwards, there was always a hint of smugness and pride in his expression.

“Interhigh begins this week…” He narrowed his eyes at the slight tensing of his cousin’s shoulder. “You didn’t get placed as a starting player,” he concluded.

A beat of silence before the older boy was tearing into bread again, a growl dripping from his throat. A confirmation of what he already guessed.

“I’m on the bench,” Kentarou snarled.

Softly, he asked, “Is there a reason?”

Because there had to be a reason if his cousin was not a starting player. No one could deny that Kentarou was one of the best players of the team. He was probably only second to Iwaizumi-san in terms of spikes.

Both Kunimi and Kindaichi were skilled as well, but they were not yet able to achieve the power and presence of his cousin.

“I...can’t get along with Oikawa-san or Iwaizumi-san,” Kentarou muttered.

It gave him a pause. From what he noticed during the practices he attended when his leg was injured, there had been a tension between his cousin and the two captains. However, the problem seemed to stem more from Kentarou’s end than his soulmates’.

“You were uncooperative during practices,” Tobio stated. “Why?”

Kentarou wrinkled his nose, avoiding his eyes. Uneasiness settled in his chest at the action and suspicion began to bloom at the corners of his mind. 

“Kentarou,” he drawled, not liking the direction his thoughts were going. 

“It’s not only them!” the older boy quickly shouted, only confirming his suspicions. “I don’t get along with anyone on the team.”

“Kentarou!” he exclaimed, highly distressed. “I didn’t tell you about the rejection for-for-for... _ this _ to happen!”

If he had known that talking about his soulmates and their rejection would affect his cousin’s position on the team, Tobio would have never told the older boy about it. 

“It’s not because you told me about that!” his cousin protested. “I just...I’m just not suited for teamwork.”

He scowled, unable to argue with the statement. It was true that his cousin’s temper and attitude were not suitable for interacting with others. Both of them were alike in that aspect and that was exactly why he was so worried about.

He knew better than anyone the consequences of hostility between setters and spikers, and he had no wish to see Kentarou suffer the same abandonment—Especially not after his cousin had gone through a similar experience of isolation before.

Kentarou had never told him, but Tobio had been there to witness his last match in junior high. He had seen how his team refused to toss to him when his temper got out of control. He had known how, after that incident, he began going to the community gym more often than he went to his practices to play volleyball.

“Look, Tobio,” his cousin said. “I was already irritated by Oikawa-san’s personality before you came to Aoba Johsai. My relationship with the club isn’t your fault.”

“Then how are you going to be able to play volleyball?” he yelled. 

His cousin burned with passion for the sport. Not being able to play would be the same as not being able to eat for him. 

“You can’t play alone!” It was a lesson he was forced to learn.

“It’s not like I’m not allowed to play at all!” his cousin argued. “I’m a bench player. They’ll sub me in when they think it’s necessary.”

A team like Seijoh centered around teamwork. Even if they subbed his cousin in temporarily, it was unlikely that he would stay on the court long if he could not work with his teammates.

“But—”

“Just leave it, Tobio,” Kentarou ordered. “It’s not your fault and it’s something I have to figure out on my own.”

He wanted to argue, but the sharpness in the older boy’s eyes left no room for discussion. And he had to admit—with  _ extreme _ reluctance—that he could do little to help his cousin.

Tobio was no longer playing volleyball. Even if he was, he was no better than Kentarou when it came to teamwork. It was not his place to interfere.

“Can I at least go see you play?” he mumbled. 

It was not his place to interfere. But he could at least provide his cousin with some form of moral support by watching.

“There’s nothing preventing you,” Kentarou stated. A lopsided smirk touched his lips as the older boy gave him a sideways glance. “And it’s not like you’d listen if I say no.”

A small smile graced his own lips. “Of course not. I’d be damned if I let you order me around.”

His cousin pushed against his arm with an elbow. “I am older than you,” the older boy said dryly. “You should act like it once in a while.”   
  
“I could say the same to you,” was his retort. “Most would think I’m the older one with how immature and short you are.”

He let a laugh bubble forth as his cousin pinned him to the roof, hands wrapped around his throat in a mock attempt to choke him.

  
Still...he could not help the worry swirling in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've only been showing how protective Kentarou is about Tobio lately, so I thought it was time to switch it around. And this was the perfect opportunity since we all know how traumatizing it was for Tobio to be abandoned on the court--him not wanting the same to happen to his cousin is in line with his character (in my opinion).
> 
> Also, the thing about his team not tossing to him in junior high is canon. That's why I didn't provide much details about it like I would have with other aspects of their past.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Interhigh is coming soon, so look forward to it.


	103. Chapter Eighty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He loved Kentarou. He loved his cousin who was so protective over him that he forgot to protect himself—which was why he needed to protect the older boy.
> 
> So, after one of his lessons with his soulmates, just as he was prepared to go home, he asked Oikawa-san, “Can I ask you a favor?”

No matter how much he tried, Tobio was certain that he could never repay the kindness...the warmth...the _ love  _ he had received from his family. He was certain that he could spend his entire life trying, but it will never amount to anything close.

But more than his aunt and uncle, more than Tadaaki-san, Kentarou was an irreplaceable existence for him. Had it not been for his cousin, he knew that he would not be laughing and smiling and crying so easily as was today.

* * *

_ “Aren’t you tired yet, Tobio?” his uncle asked, a chuckle on his lips. _

_ Both his aunt and uncle had promised to take them to the amusement park today. The adults had been so busy with work lately and had felt guilty for neglecting him and Kentarou. _

_ Tobio had thought they were being too sensitive—both of them returned home for dinner and stayed for breakfast every day—but he would not argue with spending more time with them. A year had already passed since they adopted him and everyday was so happy and wonderful. Even the sad ones! _

_ “Not at all,” he yelled. He held his hands wide above his head, a grin stretching his face wide at the thought of playing more. “I want to go on all the rides!” _

_ “Sorry to break it to you, sport,” his uncle said, “but you’re not tall enough for all the rides yet.” _ _   
  
_

_ “Yeah, Tobs,” his cousin agreed. “You’re too short, you little shrimp.” _

_ He glared at the older boy, lips twisting into a pout. “You’re not that much taller than me, Kenta-nii-chan!” _

_ “I’m a whole head taller than you,” his cousin said proudly. “Lying doesn’t make you any taller.” _

_ His aunt laughed, a soft sound that had Tobio smiling again as well. “Both of you are shorter than us, though? Should you really be arguing about this?” _

_ “At least we’re stronger than you!” Kenta-nii-chan shouted. _

_ Tobio nodded his head enthusiastically in agreement. “Yeah! You and uncle are weak! You can’t even go on rides without feeling dizzy.” _

_ It was the reason why they were gathered around a bench to start with. Uncle had gotten too dizzy when they went on the spinning teacup. He had to lay down in order to not throw up, which was why his head was resting on Aunt’s lap right now. _

_ “You’re really pathetic, Papa,” Kenta-nii-chan stated. _

_ “Why you,” his uncle grunted, grabbing his cousin on the head and shaking him around. Tobio knew by now that Uncle was not trying to hurt him, but was only having fun—it was why Kenta-nii-chan was smiling right now, too! _

_ “Can I go on more rides?” Tobio asked. “Now. It’ll take a year before Uncle gets better.” _

_ He squealed when two hands suddenly wrapped under his armpits and tossed him in the air. “I’m not that weak, Tobio,” his uncle said, now standing. He was tossed in the air again, caught safely in his uncle’s arms. “Would someone weak be able to toss you like this?” _

_ “Put me down, put me down,” he giggled. _

_ “Are you a child?” his cousin scowled, crossing his arms. “How can you get excited about something like this?” _

_ He pouted when Uncle placed him on the ground again. “I  _ am _ a child, though? So are you, Kenta-nii-chan.” _

_ “Not as much as you,” was his cousin’s retort. _

_ “Now, now,” his aunt appeased. “What did we say about fighting today?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “To not do it,” they said in unison. _

_ “Good,” she stated, “And since Papa and Uncle seem to be doing better, let’s get in line for the next ride, shall we?” _

_ “Yeah!” Tobio yelled, following his aunt and uncle as they led the two children to the next ride. _

_ It was a rollercoaster with a really long line. And it was not long before he started getting impatient and shifting on his feet.  _

_ “Stop that,” his cousin hissed. “Be patient and stand still.” _

_ “But it’s so long,” he whined. _

_ “You’re the one who wanted to go on more rides!” _

_ Yeah, but he did not know he would have to wait  _ this _ long. About ten more minutes passed before he found his eyes around the amusement park. A mascot with balloons caught his curiosity and, without thinking, he raced for them. _

_ However, because the ground was so crowded with people, it was not long before he got lost. Tobio turned his head side to side in hopes of seeing his family, but all he saw were people walking by. _

_ Tears began gathering in his eyes as fear clawed at his heart. He should not have wandered off by himself. He should have stayed with his family like his aunt and uncle told him to before they arrived at the park. _

_ He actually started crying when someone bumped into him, knocking him to the ground. When he looked up, however, his tears stopped immediately. _

_ Looming over him was his mother, a shocked expression passing across her face before it quickly morphed into one of coldness and disgust. _

_ “What’s the matter?” a man he did not know asked, but Tobio was not really paying attention. _

_ All his mind was thinking about was being hit again, and the thought was enough to have him full-blown bawling. _

_ “Did you get lost, little boy?” his mother asked, voice dripping with honey and a sickeningly sweet smile on her lips. _

_ He did not answer, and proceeded to scream when she grabbed his arm. “NO! LET GO OF ME!” _ _   
  
_

_ “Be quiet,” his mother hissed, as she pulled him into her arms. “Or else.” _

_ He was scared. He was so, so scared. He wanted his uncle and aunt and Kenta-nii-chan. He did not want to go with his mother and be hit again. _

_ “LET ME GO,” he wailed, thrashing in her arms. _

_ “Stay still,” his mother ordered. He did not listen, continuing to bawl until almost everyone around them was watching the scene and whispering. The grip on his arm tightened to the point that it was painful. _

_ “LET ME GO! YOU’RE GOING TO HIT ME AGAIN!” he screamed. He screamed even harder when his mother picked him up and began carrying him away. _

_ “You little brat,” his mother whispered harshly in his ear. “I’ll make you pay for—” _

_ “LET HIM GO, YOU NASTY WITCH!” he heard Kenta-nii-chan yell as he saw his cousin charge at them. _

_ The older boy reached them in no time and Tobio watched as his cousin jumped onto his mother, clawing at and punching her. Surprised, she dropped him onto the ground and began  _

_ “YOU KIDNAPPER!” Kenta-nii-chan screeched, biting into his mother’s leg. “DID YOU THINK YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH KIDNAPPING TOBIO?” _

_ “What do you think you’re doing, you disgusting demon,” his mother demanded, kicking his cousin onto the ground. _

_ “Kenta-nii-chan!” Tobio yelled, crying even harder as he ran to make sure the older boy was okay. _

_ His cousin was bleeding on the back from skidding across the ground, but he stood and went back to attacking his mother. _

* * *

Tobio did not actually remember what happened after that. He did remember going to the hospital and crying  _ more  _ because his cousin got hurt protecting him.

He loved Kentarou. He loved his cousin who was so protective over him that he forgot to protect himself _ — _ which was why he needed to protect the older boy.

So, after one of his lessons with his soulmates, just as he was prepared to go home, he asked Oikawa-san, “Can I ask you a favor?”

The setter looked at him with wide eyes, but quickly nodded. “Anything for you, Tobio-chan.”

“Um...if-if Kentarou gets subbed in to play tomorrow or anytime during Interhigh, can you promise you’ll toss to him?”

It earned him a frowned. “Tobio-chan, I’ll toss to whoever I need to at that moment. It’s unfair if I favor your cousin.”

“I-I know that,” he said quickly. “I’m not asking you to send all the tosses his way. Just...promise you won’t...abandon him if his temper gets a bit out of control.”

“I wouldn’t abandon my spikers just because of that, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san huffed. 

“You promise?” he pressed.

“I promise.”

Satisfied, he nodded. For all of Oikawa-san’s flamboyant nature, he knew the setter was not one to break a promise so easily.

It did not settle well with him that the only thing he could do was trust another person with this, but it was more than if he had not asked.

He just wanted his cousin to be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kentarou is absolutely adorable in this chapter. UGH. I can't.
> 
> And Tobio asking Tooru is precious. It's also a good sign since it shows that he trusts Tooru enough to ask for his help.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	104. Chapter Ninety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was familiar to him. He had been here countless times already, had stood on the court for who-knows-how-many games. He had become accustomed to the squeaking of shoes and the thudding of volleyballs that was always present. And yet…
> 
> Everything felt so foreign to him. Strange.

Sendai City Gymnasium was the venue for all preliminaries and representative playoffs of Miyagi Prefecture. Walking in, he was immediately greeted by the scent of air salonpas and a murmur of excited discussions.

It was familiar to him. He had been here countless times already, had stood on the court for who-knows-how-many games. He had become accustomed to the squeaking of shoes and the thudding of volleyballs that was always present. And yet…

Everything felt so foreign to him _. _ Strange.

It was neither longing nor heartache _ — _ he had long made his peace with the sport and his injury—but a sense of oddness. It was odd to walk into the gym as a member of the audience, knowing he will never again be a player.

He could not say he was upset, though. On the contrary, it made his heart lighter.

“Gross,” he heard his cousin say. “Why the hell are you smiling to yourself like a creep?”

His smile, one he did not even realize he had been doing, quickly morphed into a scowl at the words. He turned around, a retort on his lips, only to shut his mouth at the sight of the entire volleyball club coming in. Most of the people loitering around were now whispering and he did not want to draw attention to himself.

“How come you’re here so early?” Kentarou asked, separating himself from the team to come stand beside him.

“Is this the thanks I get for waking up at six in the morning to support you?” 

“I’m so touched,” the older boy said dryly.

He snorted, but said nothing. Instead, he watched as Seijoh began filing in, taking note of the absence of one person. “Where’s Oikawa-san?”

Kentarou shrugged. “Hell if I know. He was with us on the bus, though.”

Apparently overhearing the conversation, the coach turned to the group to ask, “Where’s Oikawa?”

He watched Yahaba-san flinch, causing the assistant coach to demand, “What is it?” 

“Erm...Some...girls from another school stopped him outside…” the second-year setter trailed off.

Both coaches gave what he could only describe as exasperated before the head coach eventually said, “...Iwaizumi.”

“On it,” was the wing spiker’s reply, brows furrowed in irritation and a scowl on his lips. 

Watching the scene, amusement bubbled inside of him. Tobio suspected that this was a common occurrence if the coaches and players are so adept at handling it. In fact, the members of Seijoh only continued on their way, completely trusting Iwaizumi-san to get their setter.

“Are you coming, Tobio?” his cousin asked, tugging on his arm to get his attention. “We’re going to the stands right now.”

“That’s right,” he remembered. “You guys are seeded.” Kentarou nodded. “I could have woken up later then,” he groaned, lamenting his loss of sleep.

His cousin snickered. “Your fault,” the older boy crooned, only making him pout. “Anyways, are you coming or not?”

“No,” he said, still sulking a bit. “Go on ahead. I need to use the bathroom.”

If he had just stopped to consider it for a moment, he would have known that Aoba Johsai would not have their first game until the second round of matches. Maybe his cousin was right in thinking he was an idiot.

Finishing his business, he washed his head and splashed some water onto his face. He would definitely need the cold refresher if he did not want to be scowling the entire time he waited for Seijoh to start their match.

On his way out, however, he managed to run into someone...Except there was no one in his line of sight. 

“I’m sorry,” the voice coming from below, and he looked down to see a boy with orange hair. “I wasn’t looking where I was go…” the kid trailed off as he looked up at Tobio, eyes widening. “IT’S YOU!”

Scowling at the loud volume of the kid’s voice, Tobio narrowed his eyes at the child. He does not recall meeting the orange-haired boy before and was confused by the familiarity in his tone. “Do I know you, kid?”

“I’m not a kid!” the kid protested, jumping to his feet. “I’m the same age as yu! We’ve played each other before. Last year.”

Last year...he remembered a clumsy team who barely knew how to play volleyball, recalling a single person zooming across the court. Despite his disadvantage in height, he possessed outstanding jumping power, reflex and speed. Yet, he did not make use of any of those abilities.

“You’re that goddamn clumsy shit bastard,” Tobio stated.

An enraged expression crossed the tangerine’s face. “Don’t...Don’t you look down on me!” he exclaimed, hitting his chest. “I’m Shouyou Hinata and my team will be the one going to nationals.”

He snorted, highly doubting the possibility of that statement. Of the teams in the prefecture, it has only been Shiratorizawa and Aoba Johsai facing each other the past three years.

Apparently even more infuriated, the ginger declared, “We’ll beat whatever team you’re on!”

“I’m not playing volleyball anymore,” Tobio told him. “So it’s useless for you to say that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.” 

Kentarou would be getting worried by this point.

He moved past the other, who had been frozen shocked by the revelation, and made his way to the stands. Tobio found that all the Seijoh members, Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san included, were already sitting and observing the games below.

“What took you so long?” his cousin asked.

“I ran into a tangerine,” he answered airily.

“A what?”

“Aww,” Oikawa-san cooed, “did you come all the way here to support me, Tobio-chan?”

“I came to support the team, not just you, Oikawa-san,” he replied smoothly, taking a seat beside the setter and watching the games below.

“Tobio-chan,” the older boy cried, eliciting a long-suffering sigh from him.

Not wanting to deal with Oikawa-san’s whining, he reached a hand to pat the setter’s head. Ever since the crying incident, he found that it was a very effective way to shut the older boy up. Every time Oikawa-san began whining during their piano lesson, he would simply pat his head and the setter would become quiet—though he did think it was a bit weird that Oikawa-san blushed every time he did so.

“Oh my god,” Makki-san breathed. “You are so  _ whipped _ .”

“What does whipped mean?” Tobio asked with confused tilt of the head.

He was met with surprised eyes from Mattsun-san. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I’m not?”

Instead of answering his question, though, Mattsun-san turned to Iwaizumi-san, placing a single hand on the ace’s shoulder and said in a pitying ton, “Good luck.”

“What?” Tobio questioned, even more confused now.

“Don’t worry about it, Kageyama,” Kunimi told him.

“Worry about what?” he cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating yesterday. I had the idea for this chapter completely laid out, but I didn't know I was going to write it.
> 
> Tobio and Shouyou meeting was inevitable (even if Shouyou isn't in this story that much). I used the scene in the manga for parts of the dialogue (when Shouyou meets Tobio at Karasuno).
> 
> The purpose of the the last part of this chapter was meant to make everyone start sympathizing with Tooru and Hajime more 🤣. Honestly, at this point, it's starting to become pitiful. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	105. Chapter Ninety-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobio snickered, waving the team off. They were going to be going against Oomisaki High School, and he had no doubt that Seijoh would win.
> 
> Knowing that fact, he opted to watch the game that would determine who they would be playing next. Karasuno vs. Date Tech. From what he heard whispered among the crowd, Date Tech was the clear favorite to win.

Apparently, the tangerine from the bathroom was from Karasuno. If he remembered correctly, it was once a championship school that had made it all the way to nationals. Now though, they had earned the nickname of “The Flightless Crows.”

From the looks of them, however, it seemed that that moniker could no longer apply. Although the team was a bit rough around the edges, they had the potential to become a good team—they had the foundation for it anyways.

For one, their libero was talented. More than talented, in fact. He was able to receive most of the spikes and deliver it straight to the setter. Even better, he was able to kill the momentum in a way that it would be easy for the setter to toss. He was also able to retrieve blocked balls. 

The libero was not the only one skilled at receiving either. Their captain covered up a lot of the gaps left by the team and his spikes were solid as well.

They had a decent middle blocker, too. The blonde-haired boy seemed to be intune to most of the happenings on the court, his read blocks incredibly effective.

Their ace was a powerhouse, able to break through even a three-man block with his power.

Their other wing spiker, albeit a bit hot-tempered, had powerful spikes as well. He seemed to be aware of the other team on the court.

The setter had decent tosses as well. They made use of the spikers’ abilities and accommodated to their condition and preferences.

And that shrimp tangerine...he was certainly energetic to say the least. He ran around the court without pause and served as a major distraction. An amazing decoy. However. He was shit at everything else. His spikes were weak and his serves were awful. And his receiving...it was practically non-existent. A complete amateur.

“Hey, Tobio,” his cousin called, causing him to turn towards the older boy. “We have to go now.”

“‘Kay.”

His head was grabbed and pulled to the side in a hug. “Make sure to watch how cool I am while playing, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san instructed.

“No, thanks,” he declined respectfully.

“Mean,” the setter gasped before releasing his head and sauntering off with a wave. “Wish us luck~”

He watched as Iwaizumi-san sighed, exasperated at their soulmate’s actions. “See you later, Kageyama. I better go before Shittykawa makes a scene.”

Tobio snickered, waving the team off. They were going to be going against Oomisaki High School, and he had no doubt that Seijoh would win.

Knowing that fact, he opted to watch the game that would determine who they would be playing next. Karasuno vs. Date Tech. From what he heard whispered among the crowd, Date Tech was the clear favorite to win.

He, himself, had no opinions on the matter. The team that is stronger is the one that wins, regardless of reputation or luck.

However, he would say that Karasuno were the ones at a disadvantage in this match. They were a disorganized group, new to each other, and were shorter as well. But if they played their cards right and made use of Date Tech’s weaknesses, they could win.

A whistle blew to signal the start of the game, Karasuno starting with a serve by the ace. It was a normal serve, as expected. From their last game, he did not think any of the players knew how to do a jump serve. 

As the match progressed, it became clear how much the crows were struggling against the iron wall. On the second set and early all of their spikes had been blocked, and although the libero managed to save some of them, it was slowly catching up to them in points.

It seemed the coach noticed this as well, because he suddenly called for a player substitution. A boy with grayish-green hair switched with the current server, the orange-haired shrimp.

Tobio almost pitied the guy, who was shaking like a leaf in the wind. He seemed unsteady on his feet and his complexion was sallow, to put it lightly. The pinch server looked like he was about to faint.

He was not the only one who noticed the nervous state of the guy either. Next to him, a few girls whispered to each other, “Is he going to be okay?”

“He’s not going to throw up, is he?”

“He looks like he’s going to.”

The whistle blew to signal the new rally, and he almost cringed at how the server jumped, obviously tossing the ball earlier than he had intended. From his shaky jump, it appeared as though he panicked and was simply trying to hit the ball at this point.

By luck, the ball bounced off the net to become a net ball. However, he knew the break provided no relief whatsoever when it was obvious it had been a fluke.

It was even more painful to watch the next serve, as it looked like the green-haired had completely surrendered to nervousness. He assumed that the player was attempting a float serve, but instead of curving like it was supposed to, the ball simply went out of bounds.

Karasuno was doused in a heavy, almost resigned atmosphere as the players. It seemed like the game was about to end soon…

But it did not.

Karasuno began gaining back the points they lost, putting more and more pressure onto Date Tech. They somehow managed to win the second set, driving the game to a third one.

And it was quite obvious that the tangerine seemed to have something to do with it all. The moment he had stepped onto the court, the mood shifted. Karasuno became more energized. Determined.

They made use of their middle blocker when Date Tech’s iron wall was rotated to the back. Whenever the iron wall giant was in the front, they used the shrimp’s speed and jump power to their advantage, sending him quicks when the chance presented itself.

And when the ball fell onto Date Tech’s court at match point, silence descended. A heavy air of surprise surrounded the gym before the crowd erupted into applause.

Tobio stood up from his seat, meeting the eyes of Karasuno's tiny middle blocker.

He made a mental note to warn Oikawa-san about this team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Karasuno's setter is Suga, by the way. I realized I didn't really specify it that well. I do think that, without Tobio, Karasuno still would have been a good team.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was a transition one. 
> 
> Also, can someone tell me in the comment what happened to orphan_account. I realized how many of their fics I've read, but there account is inaccessible.


	106. Chapter Ninety-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tobio...do you actually...like them now?” Kentarou asked, a horrified expression on his face.
> 
> “NO!” he yelled, his face becoming even hotter.
> 
> “It sure sounds like you do,” his cousin retorted.
> 
> “I don’t!”

Summer welcomed the second round of InterHigh preliminaries with dark clouds and a dusting of rain. He did not mind the weather, per say—in fact, he enjoyed the slight humidity that accompanied it—but there was always the irritating ache in his leg that came with it.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Tobio?” his cousin asked. Kentarou, who was supposed to be going on the bus with the team today, was walking with him to Sendai City Gymnasium despite countless protests against it. “You don’t have to come, you know.”

He rolled his eyes. How many times has the older boy told him this already? Fourth? Fifth? “I said I’m fine, Kentarou,” he sighed, utterly exasperated already. “I know my own body. My leg barely even hurts.”

He was telling the truth, no matter how much his cousin narrowed honey-brown eyes in suspicion. Tobio had woken up that morning feeling fine. He had even taken some ibuprofen just to be safe and had several more capsules on him at the moment.

“You’re overreacting,” he stated.

Kentarou only scowled, crossing his arms. “If that’s how you repay someone’s concern, then this is the last time I worry about you.”   
  


“That’s a lie and you know it,” Tobio said, rolling his eyes again. “I appreciate you worrying about me, but I’d much rather you focus on your match.”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” his cousin replied. “You said it yourself that the team we’re up against aren’t anything that special.”

“It’s still not good to underestimate them.” He frowned as he recalled the match from yesterday. “I thought they would’ve lost against Date Tech in the second set, but here we are.”

“There they are!” he heard Kindaichi yell. 

  
Both of them turned their heads in that direction to see a relieved expression on nearly all the players. “We thought you two had gotten lost or something!” Makki-san said. “It’s almost time for us to warm up, you know.”

Kentarou snorted. “Tobio’s the only one of the two of us that would get lost.”

“Hey!” he exclaimed, a bit offended. “I wouldn’t get lost on my way here!”

“Says the one who got lost on their way to school last week,” his cousin deadpanned.

Heat touched his cheeks. “I got too absorbed in my music,” he defended.

“Wait,” Kunimi said. “Is that why you showed up at lunch?”

“No. I mean, I did get lost that day. But I showed up at lunch because I felt like skipping.”

“Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san began, a disapproving tone in his voice. 

Tobio deliberately avoided looking at the ace, pouting a bit. “It’s fine if I pass my classes.”

“That’s not going to matter much if you get held back, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said dryly. 

“I still have eleven days left,” he muttered. 

“You’ve been keeping track?” Iwaizumi-san asked, tone incredulous.

“Yes?” He might enjoy skipping school, but he did not want to be held back because of too many absences. That would completely defeat the purpose of skipping in the first place.

Mattsun-san burst out laughing, throwing an arm around his shoulders, making him grunt at the sudden weight. “You’re hilarious, kid.”

“Thank you?” Tobio did not understand how he was being funny, but whatever. 

Oikawa-san clapped, bringing everyone’s attention to the captain. The sight of the sharp smile had Mattsun-san immediately retracting his arms from Tobio’s shoulder before the middle blocker took deliberate steps to put distance between them.

He frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Keeping my life,” was the ridiculous reply.

“Huh?”

“Anyways,” Oikawa-san chirped, preventing Tobio from questioning the middle blocker any further. “It’s about time we head in there. Will you be watching us today, Tobio-chan?” 

He nodded. “I’ll be in the bleachers.”

“Make sure to watch how amazing I am,” the setter instructed, throwing him a wink and a beaming smile, as the third-years made their way into the gym.

Tobio blinked. Stared. He knew that Oikawa-san was flirtatious, evident by the hordes of girls gathered around the gym everyday, but he had never actually seen it on display before. And for it to be directed at him...He had no idea how to respond, his mind shutting down completely.

“Did he break?” he heard Yahaba-san ask.

“Um…” was all he managed, the words not coming out of his mouth properly.

“I think he broke, Kyoutani-san,” Kindaichi stated.

“I thought Kageyama was immune to Oikawa-san’s flirting,” Kunimi commented.

“Stop spouting bullshit,” Kentarou snarled, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him into the gym. It was only when they were by themselves, away from anyone else on the team, did his cousin ask, “You’re not actually like this because of Oikawa-san, are you?”

“No,” he denied instinctively.

“You’re blushing!” his cousin exclaimed, scowling deeply. 

“I’m not!” he protested.

“You are!”

“ _ No _ .”

“ _ Yes, _ ” the older boy hissed. Kentarou pulled out his phone, pushing in front of his face with the camera open.

He saw himself on the screen—he was blushing all the way down to his neck. The realization only made him flush an even deeper shade of red. 

He pushed the phone away, sputtering out vehement denial despite evidence indicating otherwise. It was not because his soulmate flirted with him. Nope. No way. 

He was  _ not _ blushing because of Oikawa-san.

He was  _ not _ .

It was the heat of summer that was causing him to blush. Yeah. That was it. He was just overheated. 

“Tobio...do you actually... _ like _ them now?” Kentarou asked, a horrified expression on his face.

“NO!” he yelled, his face becoming even hotter.

“It sure sounds like you do,” his cousin retorted.

“I don’t!” 

He did not know what they had done for him like them. All the three of them had been doing together were piano lessons, where it was mostly just him instructing the two, and  _ one _ date. There was no way he liked them.

“Then why are you blushing.”

“It’s the heat,” he sputtered out. “I’m just overheated.”

“This place is air conditioned!” his cousin pointed out.

He brought his hands to his face, groaning as he sunk down to his knees. What the hell was happening? It was only a single wink. Why was he in this state because of a wink?  _ A wink _ .

Is this a fucking joke?

“Hey, Kyoutani! Kageyama!” he heard Iwaizumi-san call, voice coming closer and closer. “The game is starting soon. You two better hurry.”   
  
_ Fucking hell. Please not now _ , he thought miserably.

Tobio was in the existential crisis. He did not need one of his soulmates to worsen that.

“Kageyama?” the wing spiker questioned, tone full of concern. “Are you okay?”

Right. He was still on his knees, face buried in his hand and hunched over the ground. Of course he looked weird.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, praying his soulmate would leave it be.

Unfortunately for him, the third-year did not leave him alone. Instead, Iwaizumi-san reached a hand to pat his head. 

_ Ba-dump _ .

No. No. No. No, no, no, no, no, no. NO! His heart did not skip a beat just now. It was just because he was startled from the sudden touch. Yeah. That was it. Yeah…

“Are you sure you’re okay, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi-san asked again. 

“I’m fine,” he repeated, unable to lift his head to look at the older boy. “You should go, Iwaizumi-san. The game is starting soon, isn’t it?”

“Um…”

“Just go,” he told the upperclassman. “I need a moment alone.”

“Alright…” his soulmate agreed with reluctance.

It was only when he heard the sound of footsteps fading did his breathing return to normal. It was several more moments until he calmed himself down enough to think properly.

He did  _ not _ like his soulmates. There was no way when they had barely done anything that would make him like them. 

Him blushing because Oikawa-san winked at him was just because he was not used to flirting. That was why he did not know how to react. His cousin thinking it was because he liked the setter was why he was blushing. That was it.

His heart skipping a beat was just because he was startled by Iwaizumi-san touching him. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was  _ his soulmate  _ that was  _ touching _ him. Nope. It was only because he was taken aback. Yeah. 

Once he thoroughly convinced himself of these  _ facts _ , he rose to his feet and walked into the gym. 

And if he blushed when his eyes met with two pairs of brown and pine-green, Tobio averted his gaze and focused on the court instead.

His heart racing was only because of anticipation for the match that was about to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD! It only took 92 chapters, but Tobio is finally showing some sort of interest in them!
> 
> I honestly thought that this would be a bit sudden, but then chapter just flowed in this for some reason (I'm not mad about it). Now that I wrote it, I think it actually fits pretty well. I mean, Tobio has spending time with Tooru and Hajime almost everyday for about a month already. They're in close proximity to each other for at least an hour a day for piano lessons--it's strange that Tobio isn't MORE conscious of them.
> 
> And Tobio, being as oblivious as he was, needed SOMETHING to trigger that. Once he has that trigger, he'll only start spiraling into more and more of his feelings about them.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	107. Chapter Ninety-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His eyes wandered to where his cousin was standing. Kentarou had his eyes trained on the court, an intense glare in his honey-brown eyes. His cousin was fidgety, constantly shifting on his feet—a sign that he was getting restless to be on the court.

He remembered the first time he had seen Oikawa-san serving when he was twelve years old. It had been utterly mesmerizing. Entrancing. And he could not look away.

Almost as though he were frozen in time, the setter was suspended midair. Back arched beautifully. Legs bent. An arm raised in preparation to strike. And his eyes, they glimmered with a predatory ferocity that had taken his breath away. 

Tobio had engraved the sight into his memory.

To his young mind, he had truly thought that Oikawa-san was the pinnacle of what he would have to reach. 

Watching the setter serving now, however, it had been a foolish thought. Oikawa-san had only gotten better. He jumped higher. The intensity behind each serve was even stronger. And his accuracy...his accuracy was frightening.

Once Oikawa-san scored with a fourth service ace, something clicked in his mind. A glimmer of understanding of why his soulmates had rejected him all those years. 

Karasuno managed to pick up the fifth serve, the receive going straight to the setter and into a quick attack with the tall middle blocker. They scored, resulting in an eruption of cheers from the crows as their ace stepped up to serve. 

It was easily received by Watari-san before Oikawa-san set it to Iwaizumi-san with all the ease he acquired through hours upon hours of training. The ace spiked it only for the Karasuno libero to recover the ball.

Iwaizumi-san, who was obviously annoyed by the failed attack, scowled deeply. “Don’t mind, don’t mind,” came Oikawa-san’s airy, reassuring voice.

It only caused the wing spiker to scowl deeper. And for some reason, the sight had Tobio’s lips quirking a bit into an almost-smile. Once he realized that, however, he immediately forced it away.

The match. He was here for the match. For his cousin, he reminded himself.  _ Not _ his soulmate.

He should not be paying attention to him as much as he had been.

His eyes wandered to where his cousin was standing. Kentarou had his eyes trained on the court, an intense glare in his honey-brown eyes. His cousin was fidgety, constantly shifting on his feet—a sign that he was getting restless to be on the court.

From what he had been told, Kentarou had not been substituted into yesterday’s match even once. It was obvious that the older boy was dying to play at this point.

Gnawing on his lips, Tobio went over all the possibilities that could arise from his restlessness:

  1. His cousin, after being so impatient, will go onto the court and be hyper aware of the opponents on the other side of the court. He would notice their blind spots and weaknesses and aim there. Seijoh would then win the game without problems



  1. Being so impatient for too long, Kentarou would be eager to simply hit the ball. He would push everyone out of the way to be able to spike and let his temper get the best of him. And then, that observant middle blocker from Karasuno would be able to read his intentions. He would be benched again and lose his temper even more.



  1. He never gets substituted in and his temper will flare because of it. He would start skipping practice again because, in his opinion, it would be pointless if he never got to play. 



Possibility 1 was unlikely to happen—that was only Tobio trying to imagine the ideal situation. 

Possibility 3 could happen, but should never happen. Partly because he would ultimately have to be the one to convince his cousin to go back—which would never end well—and partly because it would make it harder for him to work with Seijoh in the future as a team. Their coach was smart, so he doubted this would happen.

Nearing the end of the first set, it seemed as though Possibility 2 would be the only choice left because Kentarou was being subbed in place of Kunimi.

Worry twisted his stomach as he watched Karasuno serve, the ball received by Watari-san before going to Oikawa-san. The setter was tossing it to Kindaichi, who was already prepared to jump, when his cousin charged forward and pushed the other wing spiker out of the way. And when Kentarou spiked it, the ball went out of bounds, giving the set to Karasuno.

Tobio groaned internally. He could not even say he was surprised.

Oikawa-san, however, seemed to be at a loss for words, the setter’s mouth opening and closing as his eyes widened in disbelief. Iwaizumi-san had no problems, though. The wing spiker yelled, “That was too reckless!” all the while punching his cousin on the head.

“Yeah, yeah,” Oikawa-san agreed, finding his voice again. “Well said! That’s the most important part!”

Kindaichi, luckily uninjured, reassured the team with a shaky, “I’m okay though.”

And his cousin...his beloved, pain-in-the-ass, idiot of a cousin said, “I haven’t been on the court so I got a little anxious…”

Tobio would have laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation, far too accustomed to Kentarou’s personality after living with the older boy for seven years, but the whistle blew to signify the start of the next set.

Oikawa-san served the ball with great power, but the libero received it with ease before the setter sent it to a bald-haired wing spiker. Watari-san received that spike though, sending it to Oikawa-san for the setter to toss it to...his cousin, who was running towards the net from outside the court.

Huh. Maybe Tobio should have paid more attention to their practices rather than played on his phone the whole time. He definitely did not remember them practicing that.

His cousin then proceeded to score two more points in a row, and he could not help the smile spreading across his lips. Seeing Kentarou like this, playing in his element and with unadulterated joy, made a proud warmth echo in his chest.

Although, he could not help but worry, still. Especially when Oikawa-san used him as a decoy, causing him to scowl deeply. And again, when faced against a three-man block, instead of tipping it, his cousin hit it with all his strength.

The assistant coach became so frustrated that he actually screamed, “You idiot! Have you ever thought about tipping the ball?”

To which his cousin responded, “But if I don’t hit at full strength, I won’t feel satisfied!”

Honestly, he thought it was unfair how often Kentarou called him an idiot when he said things like this. When Seijoh won this match, Tobio was going to have a talk with his cousin to get the older boy to stop calling him an idiot.

It was not long before Seijoh began gaining a lead in points and it had become clear to Tobio that he had been worried for nothing. Everyone on the team was actively working to accommodate Kentarou into their plays—even if they were a bit disorganized because of it.

His cousin was going to be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting yesterday. I had no idea how I was going to flow with this chapter. I also had to think about the plot for the rest of the story (I've figured out what I'm going to do).
> 
> I will also be changing the tags now. Originally, I intended for it to have more mature content (sex), but that doesn't really work with the current direction of my story. Instead, I'll be making some one-shots once I finish this one.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	108. Chapter Ninety-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi-san looked at him as though he were stupid. “You do remember crouching on the floor before the match, don’t you? I was worried because you were acting weird.”
> 
> Before the match…
> 
> His face flamed as he remembered. He had been so focused on Kentarou and Yahaba being soulmates toward the end of the match that he forgot all about his own existential crisis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning few lines of this chapter only make sense when read in context with the last line of the last chapter.

Or maybe not.

He could no longer say, really, with his cousin looking increasingly frustrated and annoyed. It was entertaining to watch, for sure, but the knowledge that Kentarou was coming closer and closer to losing his temper kept Tobio sober.

Oddly enough, he was not worried. Oikawa-san had already promised him that his cousin would not be abandoned on the court, and he trusted the setter to keep his word. The older boy’s actions so far have already proven it. Even when his cousin was idiotic enough to hit a spiek at full force into a three-man block, his soulmate continued tossing to him afterwards.

And Iwaizumi-san, regardless of what had happened in junior high, was always protective of his underclassmen. He was harsh on Kentarou enough to keep him in line, but still allowed him to play to his heart’s content—despite the fact that he has knocked over at least two people already.

And the rest of the team seemed to have no problems accommodating his cousin into their plays, so the disparity in their teamwork eight now was because of Kentarou.

It did not help at all that Karasuno’s setter began targeting his cousin with his serves, leaving Kentarou unable to execute a quick attack. Not to mention that, for some reason, his cousin was becoming oddly fixated—annoyed—by the bald-haired wing spiker.

A fact that the blonde-haired middle blocker took notice and advantage of, switching positions with the wing spiker to block Kentarou’s spike. 

It was not a surprise when the coach called for a substitution after a spiked out.

Tobio would have worried more, but even watching from the stands, he could tell that Kentarou knew his mistakes. He was still furious—that was a given considering his temper—but he was not lashing out, so that was a good sign.

And then something strange happened.

Yahaba-san, who he always thought as a rather calm and carefree person, suddenly took hold of his cousin’s shirt and slammed Kentarou into the wall. Both of the second-years’ expressions twisted with pain before they were gaping at each other, Kentarou clutching his side.

_No way_ , Tobio thought. _No fucking way._

He had no time to dwell on the matter, however, because Kentarou was substituted into the game only a moment later. His cousin was looking a bit dazed, hand pressed on his waist still, but a lot calmer than before.

  
Whatever Yahabaisan had told him must have worked.

And Oikawa-san must be a sadist because the setter did not even provide his cousin a single moment of hesitance before tossing to him again.

He saw gears turning when Kentarou scored.

♚♚♚

“What are you doing?” his cousin demanded, trying to push his hands away.

The moment Seijoh had won the game, Tobio immediately marched to find the team—well, Kentarou, more specifically. Once he saw them, his attention trained solely on his cousin.

Completely unabashed and without shame, he shoved the older boy’s jersey away. Just as he suspected, on the dip of his waist, was a soulmark—Yahaba-san’s soulmark.

It was an arrow with vines of flowers spiraling around it.

“Get away from me, you freak!” Kentarou yelled, pushing him away. “Are you a pervert or something?”

“I’m not a pervert,” he stated. And then, he frowned. “Does it still hurt?”

When he had gotten his soulmarks, it had hurt to the point that he had passed out, but the older boy seemed completely fine. Then again, Kentarou had always had a higher tolerance for pain than Tobio. “Not really.”

Maybe it differed depending on the person.

“How rude of you to ignore us, Tobio-chan,” he heard Oikawa-san whine. “You should at least congratulate us, you know.”

“Shut up, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi-san growled, followed by the sound of a smack. “Anyways, are you feeling better now, Kageyama?”

“Huh? Was Tobio-chan feeling sick or something?” Oikawa-san questioned, wearing a concerned expression. The setter raised a hand to his forehead, taking his temperature. “It doesn’t seem like you’re sick.”

“Because I’m not,” Tobio told them, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion. “I was feeling fine?”

Iwaizumi-san looked at him as though he were stupid. “You do remember crouching on the floor before the match, don’t you? I was worried because you were acting weird.”

Before the match…

His face flamed as he remembered. He had been so focused on Kentarou and Yahaba being soulmates toward the end of the match that he forgot all about his own existential crisis.

Fucking hell. How could he have forgotten?

With a start, he suddenly realized that Oiakwa-san was touching him. _Touching_ him. Tobio shook the hand away from his head, creating a good distance between the two of them—

Wait a minute. Why was he doing this? He did _not_ like them, so why did them touching him make him so nervous?

AND WHY WAS HIS HEART RACING? HE DID _NOT LIKE THEM._

“Oh, that?’ he heard Kentarou snicker. “That was because he realized he like—”

“AKSANJNDJNASF,” he screamed incoherently, practically tackling his cousin to the ground to cover his mouth. He was burning at this point. 

“Tobio-chan?” “Kageyama?” both of his soulmates yelled.

“Get off of me, you little brat!” Kentarou roared, pushing at his face. “What the hell do you think you’re fucking doing?”

“What do you think _you’re fucking_ doing?” he hissed back, absolute mortified of what his cousin was just about to say. “Do you want me to die?”

“What are you talking about?” the older boy snarled. “You’re not going to die just because I tell them that you like—”

“AAJNDKJNFDJSN,” he screamed again, shoving his hand to shut his cousin up once more. “How _insensitive_ are you?”

He jerked his hand away when his cousin made to bite him. “I don’t want to hear that from you!”

“Say another word about that and I will castrate you,” he threatened. “I will bury you six feet under. I’ll then dig you out of your grave only to kill you again.”

“The hell—”

Before his cousin could finish, a pair of hands was carrying him by the armpits and separating him from Kentarou. “Stop making a scene, you two.”

“Aakmkasdjfdjnd,” he screamed again when he realized it was Iwaizumi-san carrying him.

And _no_ , his heart was not racing. There were _no_ butterflies in his stomach. And his mind did _not_ go blank because of it.

Tobio immediately jerked away, ignoring the questioning glances from the rest of the team. He created about two meters of distance between him and his soulmates.

He ignored the fact that his face was burning, pointing a finger at Kentarou. “Utter even a peep of that conversation and I’ll torture you until you’re dead,” he warned the older boy, complete serious despite his crimson complexion.

“Are you really okay, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san asked.

And because Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san seemed much, _much_ more handsome than he ever remembered him to be, he screamed again, “Akjansdnjnvdf,” before declaring loudly, “I’m going home!”

No. No. No. No, no, no, no, no! This was not happening! No way!

He did _not_ like his soulmates…

Tobio was tempted to jump off a cliff when the words sounded like a lie even in his own head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the match I'm describing is the match from Spring InterHigh. I know that I'm writing it in the context of Interhigh. I did that on purpose because this story isn't supposed to follow canon. (Sorry about the confusion.)
> 
> Also, we love Kentarou almost spilling the tea on Tobio's feelings. Best Cousin Award goes to him.
> 
> We finally got Kentarou and Yahaba as soulmates! I did this partly because I wanted Kentarou to have a soulmate. The other part is because I fully believe that Kentarou is doing something behind the scenes so that Tooru and Hajime won't interact with Tobio more than necessary. Him having a soulmate to spend time with will make it a lot easier for Tooru and Hajime.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	109. Chapter Ninety-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So no. He did not go to the match against Shiratorizawa. Instead, he spent the time debating whether he should smash his head into the wall—brain damage be damned. In fact, he was hoping for the brain damage. Tobio might as well put the nail in the coffin considering he had already gone insane! 

In the middle of an existential crisis, he did not go to the Seijoh match against Shiratorizawa. 

Because of his newfound... _ realization _ that he might—again, highly unlikely. This is only a  _ hypothetical _ situation— _ like  _ his soulmates, Tobio had spent the entire night tossing and turning. By the time the sun rose, he had not gotten a wink of sleep.

Suffice to say, he had spent a good ten minutes cursing his soulmates despite the fact that they had no blame whatsoever.

So no. He did not go to the match against Shiratorizawa. Instead, he spent the time debating whether he should smash his head into the wall—brain damage be damned. In fact, he was hoping for the brain damage. Tobio might as well put the nail in the coffin considering he had already gone insane! 

Because  _ no way _ did he  _ like _ Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san.

It had barely been a month since he has even humored the idea of forgiving them.  _ Never _ did he actually think to  _ like  _ them. 

They did not even do anything to make him like them!

All the three of them had been doing was piano lessons and one date. They never talked in school and barely saw each other now that he was no longer attending their practices.  _ When was there even an opportunity for him to like them? _

WHAT WAS THERE TO EVEN LIKE ABOUT THEM?

Oikawa-san, for one, was annoying beyond measure. He whined and cried about everything, and was so emotional that he had a headache dealing with the setter sometimes. He was petty and arrogant and narcissistic and Tobio could barely understand how no one has punched him yet. 

Granted, the setter was handsome. He had a high nose that did wonder to compliment his sharp features. His build was slender but still muscular from volleyball practice and Tobio could admit that he had a heart-skipping smile. His hair was always styled to perfection and his eye—

Wait. No. No. No, no, no. Oikawa-san was  _ not  _ handsome. He just...was  _ not _ .

And Iwaizumi-san! Iwaizumi-san, although slightly better than Oikawa-san, was not that much different in Tobio’s mind. He was somewhere in the realm of “ignore when you can,” and “be weary of.” The wing spiker did not have a lot of bad personality traits, though he was messy, which Tobio hated. And when he was angry, he was so passive-aggressive that it was infuriating.

He did look hot when he was angry, though, Tobio could admit. The way his jaw clenched, emphasizing the sharp line of it, and the tension made the muscles on his body all the more apparent. And the way his forest-green eyes smold—

_ Why the hell was he like this? _

And Tobio did smash his head into the wall then, though not nearly hard enough to result in brain damage. He wished it had given him a concussion though. Maybe then, it could solve the insanity that was his brain at the moment.

Because really, that was the only explanation for the possibility he might like his soulmates. Insanity. 

Or maybe he was coming down with a fever—he refused to accept that his heart racing and face heating had  _ anything _ to do with them—or something and it was causing him to become delirious. Tobio did get sick often during the summer, after all. It was highly likely that that was the case. It was a much more plausible explanation than him liking his soulmates.

He managed to convince himself enough that he actually went so far as to check his temperature with a thermometer...Only for the number to come up as 37 degrees Celsius, a perfectly normal body temperature.

Suffice to say, Tobio utterly despaired. 

After thoroughly screaming his lungs out until his throat was scratched raw, he burrowed himself into a cocoon of blankets, trying to convince himself that he was simply dreaming the whole ordeal.

That plan also failed when, on accident, he kicked his leg into the wall and actually felt pain.

At this point, he was at the end of his rope, desperate for  _ something, anything _ that would tell him that yes, this was all in his head, and no, he did not like his soulmates.

Because what was he going to do if he  _ did  _ like them?

He had not even begun to consider the idea of... _ being _ with his soulmates. Tobio agreed to go on dates, yes, but that was purely to understand them. It was not as though he were actively seeking opportunities to be with them.   
  


And how was a three-person relationship supposed to work anyways?

It was rare for people to have more than one soulmate, so he did not have much reference as to how they were supposed to be like.

It was all so confusing.

After further attempts to convince himself that he did  _ not _ like his soulmates—some of which include DIY methods to lose your memory—he had to force himself out of bed. He had to go to Oikawa-san’s house for their usual piano lessons.

Part of him considered giving some flimsy excuse for why he could not go, but the other part of him was too prideful to actually let his internal turmoil affect him to that degree. 

The whole way there was spent with him thinking up ways to minimize their interactions with each other. Because he could not trust himself to even look at them without turning to a mess. And judging from his reaction to them yesterday, it would save him the embarrassment as well.

When he got there, however, he was greeted by Hanako-san. No sign of his soulmates in sight. “I would’ve thought they’d tell you this themselves,” the woman said, her usual cheerfulness clearly lacking. “Tooru and Hajime are at the school gym. They’re taking the loss against Shiratorizawa pretty hard…”

He frowned, but thanked Hanako-san before leaving. There was no point of being there if his soulmates were not. He was a bit disgruntled at the fact that he walked all the way there for nothing, but most of his mind was clouded with concern for the two older boys.

Even in junior high, they—Oikawa-san especially—always took losses against Shiratorizawa pretty hard. He did not doubt that the setter was probably overworking himself right now.

It was only when he was in front of the school gates did he realize that he had been walking to Aoba Johsai and not his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be Hajime's perspective, so look forward to it. Hope you enjoyed this one.


	110. Chapter Ninety-Six: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tooru,” he said, unable to tolerate the setter overworking himself anymore. “That is enough.”
> 
> “It is not enough,” was the snarled reply he received as another ball slammed into the ground.
> 
> His heart twisted at the waves of anguish and despair flowing through their bond, amplifying his own feelings of defeat. Whereas it was simply disappointment and regret with him, however, Tooru’s feelings were all-consuming.

His soulmate was being an idiot. He had always been an idiot, but this time, Hajime understood his idiocy. Even if he did not agree with it.

“Tooru,” he said, unable to tolerate the setter overworking himself anymore. “That is enough.”

“It is  _ not enough _ ,” was the snarled reply he received as another ball slammed into the ground.

His heart twisted at the waves of anguish and despair flowing through their bond, amplifying his own feelings of defeat. Whereas it was simply disappointment and regret with him, however, Tooru’s feelings were all-consuming.

His soulmate was emotional. Overly so. He felt too much sometimes. Overwhelmed. One too many times Hajime had witnessed how the overwhelming weight of his feelings crushed him.

Which was the reason why they were here to begin with. At their school on a Saturday afternoon. In the gym. Tooru hitting serve after serve.

“Tooru,” he tried again.

The setter did not listen, wordlessly picking up a ball and throwing it in the air before slamming it down.  _ THUD.  _ A twist of a lips and Hajime knew that it had not landed where it was supposed.

“ _ Tooru _ ,” he hissed. Enough was enough. Tooru had already been doing this for more than twenty minutes. “You’ll hurt your knee.” He could already feel the phantom ache in his own—a testament to how far his soulmate had pushed himself already.

“ _ No _ ,” the setter growled. “I  _ need _ to be better.”

Scowling, Hajime marched towards his soulmate, yanking the ball out of his hands and holding him in place with an iron grip. “Stop it already, you idiot!” he yelled. “What do you think you’ll achieve with overworking yourself?”

The setter’s expression morphed with anger. “Then how will I get better?” Tooru demanded, the volume of his voice rivalling his own. “How will we ever beat Ushiwaka if I’m not good enough?”

“No one’s saying that! You’re just overthinking everything again!”

“I’m not!” his soulmate vehemently denied. “We’ve been playing against Shiratorizawa for six years now and not  _ once  _ have we ever beaten them! What else could explain it other than me not being good enough?”

“You’re the prefecture’s best setter!”

A bitter expression. “So what? That means nothing when I can’t even beat Ushiwaka.”

“It’s not only you, you idiot,” Hajime growled, lowering the volume of his voice. He pulled them both to sit on the ground, pulling his soulmate into his lap and tucking the setter’s head into the crook of his neck. “Us losing was all of our faults.”

He rubbed long, soothing strokes on Tooru’s back, not mind the hands fisting into the back of his shirt. He did not even mind when he felt tears wetting his neck. It was fine. This was good. Tooru letting out his emotions this way was good.

Body racking with sobs, Tooru continued crying and crying, the sounds echoing in the silence of the gym. He rubbed long, soothing strokes on Tooru’s back, not mind the hands fisting into the back of his shirt. He did not even mind when he felt tears wetting his neck. It was fine. This was good. Tooru letting out his emotions this way was good.

Hajime said nothing, knowing that simply holding him was better than anything else at the moment. Because Tooru doubted himself too much. Letting him know that someone was always going to be there for him no matter what was the best form of comfort.

Once his soulmate’s shaking subsided somewhat, he pulled the setter back to take a good at his face. His beautiful, tear-stained face that would have been cute had it not been for the situation that had caused it.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

Toor nodded, sniffling a bit, before bringing a hand to wipe at his face. “Yeah. Sorry I yelled at you.”

Hajime allowed a small chuckle, grasping the other boy’s face in his hand and kissing away his tears. “It’s fine.”

He felt arms wrapping around his neck before Tooru pulled him into a kiss. His lips were warm and soft, and Hajime could taste the salt from his tears. When a tongue swiped at the bottom of his lips, he opened his mouth to allow it access.

Their kiss was slow and languid, enveloping his heart with a warm feeling.

Eventually, they broke it off. “Thanks,” Tooru muttered against his lips, giving him a peck before nuzzling into the crook of his neck again.

“Any time,” he replied.

“I love you, Hajime,” Tooru stated softly, a bit tiredly.

“I know.”

A beat of silence passed.

“Are you not going to say it back?” his soulmate asked.

“No.”   
  
“Hajime,” Tooru whined, pulling his head up and giving him a pout.

He laughed again, giving the setter a short kiss on his pouty lips before moving to kiss every other part of his face. His forehead. Cheek. Nose. Eyes. “I love you, too,” he said finally.

And that was all it took before they were exchanging another kiss. It was more intense this time, though. One that had his skin flaring with heat and moaning softly against the pleasure of it. He moaned even more when Tooru grinded his ass down on Hajime’s quickly hardening—

“Oh.”

And just like that, the heated atmosphere between them disappeared immediately.

Both Hajime and Tooru turned to see their other soulmate standing at the door of the gym. Kageyama looked immensely embarrassed and uncomfortable if his shifting from foot to foot and crimson complexion was any indication.

“S-sorry!” the younger boy stammered out, his gaze fixated on the floor and refusing to look at them. “I-I didn’t mean to in-interrupt! Um...I’ll leave now, so please continue what you were doing.”

Before either of them could say anything, though, Kageyama was bowing and scurrying out of the gym. Hajime and Tooru only exchanged a single look before chasing after the first-year.

They did not have to run very far considering their soulmate could only walk, and caught up to him in less than a minute.

“Aww,” Tooru cooed, draping himself over Kageyama’s shoulders. “Tobio-chan doesn’t have to be shy.”

It only made Kageyama flush deeper, bringing both his hands to cover his face as he groaned. “I-I really didn’t mean to!” he exclaimed. “I-I didn’t know you were going to be…”   
  


When he did not continue, Tooru shamelessly questioned, “Making out?”

And if it were possible to become even more red, their soulmate did. It was so cute that Hajime was tempted to kiss him as well. He did not, but he wanted to.

Saving the younger boy from the embarrassment that was Tooru, Hajime asked, “What are you doing here, Kageyama?”

“Piano lesson. Hanako-san. Here. Um…” the pianist jumbled out uselessly. Embarrassment seemed to make their soulmate incoherent, Hajime noted.

“So you went to the piano lesson, but we weren’t there. And Hanako-san told you we were here?” Hajime clarified, making sense of the words given to him.

He succeeded. Kageyama nodded.

“Were you worried, Tobio-chan?” Tooru teased.

And to their surprise, Kageyama nodded.

“Oh,” was all Tooru managed as a reply. He clearly had not expected that answer.

Hajime, however, was in the mood to tease now, feeling very happy that their soulmate was worried about them. “And what were you going to do to comfort us?”

The answer came easily, Kageyama having regained his calm. “I was going to play the piano for you two. It’s the only way I know how to comfort someone.”

“Oh?” Tooru questioned, having recovered from the shock, a smirk on his lips. “Were you going to play it for us at my house?”

“No. I was thinking we would go to my house.”   
  


“No offense, Tobio-chan, but I’d rather not deal with Kyouken-chan glaring at us the whole time.” Because Kyoutani was protective of his younger cousin to a concerning degree, and both Hajime and Tooru genuinely feared for their lives after the second-year’s threat.

To their surprise, Kageyama shook his head. “I meant  _ my _ house. As in, my apartment.”

What…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't been giving a lot of IwaOi interactions. This a pretty Tobio-centric story, so it feels a bit weird to focus on something other Tobio sometimes. BUT I've been wanting to do a chapter like this for a while.
> 
> Even in the manga and anime, we see that Hajime ground Tooru a lot during his times of trouble. So I really liked writing this cute interaction between them.
> 
> And TOBIO. Poor, sweet, innocent Tobio walking in on them having a full makeout session 🤣🤣🤣🤣!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. This was the easiest one to write in recent weeks.


	111. Chapter Ninety-Seven: Tooru 's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tooru was once again hit with the realization of how...different Tobio-chan was from them. The ravenette seemed so unreachable in these situations that he could feel a dull ache in his heart.
> 
> “You can sit wherever you like,” the soft voice of his younger soulmate said, bringing him out of his reverie. “Just...make yourself comfortable. Or something.”

He was tired.

After  _ another  _ loss against Shiratorizawa and  _ Ushiwaka _ , not to mention having to deal with the demon that was his mind, Tooru was tired. Beyond exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. Possibly for the next week or so. Maybe more.

And he almost did so, the sweet siren of unconsciousness beckoning him into its arms. But that was in the background of his mind at the moment.

Because Tooru was no fool. And only a fool would decline their soulmate’s invitation to his home.

It had come as such a shock that his brain had shut down for a good minute. Never— _ never _ —did he think that Tobio-chan would, of his own accord, invite them to his apartment. 

And what an apartment it was. Even more than when he had gone to the younger boy’s mansion, his apartment was a whole separate matter. Not even the fact that the apartment covered an entire floor, he could tell from a single look that the furniture was expensive as well. Everything about it screamed wealth, in fact. From the modern interior design to the concert grand piano.

Tooru was once again hit with the realization of how...different Tobio-chan was from them. The ravenette seemed so unreachable in these situations that he could feel a dull ache in his heart.

“You can sit wherever you like,” the soft voice of his younger soulmate said, bringing him out of his reverie. “Just...make yourself comfortable. Or something.”

“We don’t need drinks, Kageyama,” Hajime quickly assured the younger boy when they saw him enter the kitchen. “We’re already intruding on your home.”

In response, Tobio-chan frowned. “It’s polite,” he stated. “And Mizuki-san would be disappointed if she found out I didn’t serve drinks to guests.”

“Right…” Hajime muttered before awkwardly sitting down.

Tooru followed suit, feeling just as awkward. Being in the home of their soulmate, who might or might not hate them—he really did not know at this point—did that, he guessed. 

He took the chance to look around again. As expected of Tobio-chan’s personality, it was minimalistic. Decorations were scarce and all the furniture were simple designs.

“I just moved back in a few days ago,” his youngest soulmate said, returning to the living room, “so I don’t have a lot of drinks available. Is lavender tea okay with you two?”

“That’s fine, Tobio-chan!” Tooru exclaimed brightly, trying to dispel the awkwardness somewhat. 

The blue-eyed boy only nodded, completely oblivious to how tense he and Hajime were feeling at the moment. 

“Your apartment’s bigger than I expected,” Hajime said. “Do you really live alone here?”

“Mhm. Tadaaki-san stays over sometimes. Kentarou does, too. I stay at my aunt and uncle’s house during the weekends, though.”

“Isn’t it tough?” the wing spiker asked, oddly talkative today. “Living alone, I mean.”

Tobio-chan shrugged. “Not really. The only tough thing about it is having to wake up without anyone telling me to. I’ve already broken, like, ten alarm clocks.”

It was so ridiculous that laughter bubbled out of his lips before Tooru could catch himself. “Are you serious, Tobio-chan?  _ Ten _ ?”

“Yeah. I like sleeping. What about it?” the younger boy questioned, utterly shameless, and raising one brow in a challenging stare.

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Tooru replied, voice shaking as he restrained his laughter as much as he could.

It really was not that funny, but the ridiculousness of breaking  _ ten _ alarm clocks combined with the tension he had been feeling made it seem so. Serious, who breaks  _ ten _ alarm clocks? 

“Why don’t you just set an alarm on your phone?” Hajime suggested, choking on his own laughter.

Tobio-chan frowned. “Because then I’d break my phone,” he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. He even seemed confused by the question. 

“Right,” Tooru said dryly. 

“Why are we even talking about this?” Tobio-chan asked, a cute pout forming on his lips. “I’m supposed to be playing the piano.”

Ah. He remembered now. The reason they were he was because Tobio-chan had been worried—his heart had practically leapt out of his chest when he heard that—and had taken them to his apartment to play it for them. Tooru supposed that, with his soulmate’s awkward nature, that this was probably the only way he knew how to comfort people.

“What song do you want me to play?” the ravenette asked.

“Moon—” Tooru tried, having wanted to hear how the blue-eyed boy would play that particular piece for weeks now.

“No,” was the instant reply. “Nice try, though.”

“Damn,” he muttered jokingly, immensely amused by the scowl twisting the younger’s lips.

“I’ll pick something myself, then,” Tobio-chan declared, moving towards the piano.

“What?” Hajime asked, laughter in his eyes. “What about our option to choose?”

“Oikawa-san forfeited that when he requested Moonlight Sonata,” the pianist stated, eliciting a laugh from both of them. Tooru could have sworn that Tobio-chan smiled a bit as well, but it was gone before he could confirm whether it was a figment of his imagination or not.

Well, whether it was or not, it did not matter. Not when all thoughts disappeared from his mind as the ravenette began playing the first notes of whatever piece he chose.

Maybe it was the scent of lavender from the tea or simply the soothing melody of the song, but Tooru found himself relaxing into the cushions of the couch. And before he knew it, his eyes had already closed…

  
  


_ It had been a long day. Grueling hours of practice had left Tooru with sore muscles and an aching body—so much so that he was surprised he was still standing at this point. And yet...and yet, he was not satisfied with his performance. _

_ There was still so much more he could do. So much more he  _ had _ to do. To win against Shiratorizawa. Against Ushiwaka. And with how inadequate his skills were as the center, as the control tower of the team, he would never be able to accomplish that goal. _

_ And not for the first time, he asked to stay for extra practice, telling the coach that he would lock up afterwards. Everything  _ would _ have been fine...had little, infuriating Tobio-chan not requested the same thing. _

_ His immediate reaction was a hard  _ no _ , but the coach had already accepted the request and was in no place to disobey the coach. Not when Tooru had heard the man talking about  _ replacing _ Tooru with Tobio-chan. _

_ So, with a great amount of reluctance and resentment, he had to tolerate Tobio-chan’s presence. It would have been absolute hell, too, but Hajime had also agreed to stay with him to practice. Though...Tooru suspected it was simply to make sure he did not overwork himself—not that he would complain, always in the mood to be in the company of his soulmate. _

_ However, he would prefer to be in the company of his soulmate  _ without  _ Tobio-chan. _

_ Said first-year was in the corner of the gym, setting a volleyball while laying down. The sight only served to infuriate him even more. _

_ “Stop that,” Hajime, who had just hit one of his tosses, hissed. “Kageyama’s done nothing to you.” _

_ He only hmphed in response, unable to help his resentment.  _

_ Because it was resentment he held against Tobio-chan, a genius little setter who had been born with talent Tooru would never be able to reach. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much struggled, he would never be able to reach the level of skill Tobio-chan would eventually achieve. _

_ And like the devil, the little twerp came running over to them. “Oikawa-san! Can you teach me your serve?” _

_ Tooru sneered. “Maybe next time, Tobio-chan.” _

_ The comment earned him a frown. “You said that last time, too. When’s next time?” _

_ “Next time means next time, Tobio-chan.” In other words,  _ never _. There was no way in hell that Tooru was ever going to teach him something when the kid already had what he could never have. _

_ “Okay…” the blue-eyed boy said, pouting a bit. For some reason, it only made him sneer more. “Then...Can you hit some of my tosses, Iwaizumi-san?” _

_ Tooru glared. Not only did this kid want to steal his position as the team’s setter, he also wanted to steal his soulmate as well?  _

_ Perhaps sensing his rising anger through their bond, Hajime gave him a sideways glance before he apologized, “Sorry, Kageyama. I’m practicing with Shittykawa right now.” _

_ Another frown. Followed by a slow nod. “Alright.” _

_ When he turned to leave, Tooru unclenched his fist, not having even realized that his fingernails had been digging into his palm. He was sure there were indents in the skin by now. _

_ His relief, however, was short-lived when Tobio-chan ran back towards them. And like the idiot he was, the kid managed to trip on his own legs. _

_ Without even thinking, both Hajime and Tooru dived on instinct to catch him—He might resent the kid, but he did not want the young setter to actually get injured.  _

_ It turned out to be a mistake, though, because not a second later, Tobio-chan immediately cried out in pain. And as pain overtook his own mind, Tooru felt his heart plummet. _

_ This was not happening. _

_ He was brought out of his now rising panic, however, when he heard a whimper. “Shit,” he heard Hajime mutter, the wing spiker’s eyes trained on the younger boy in front of them, “Shit.” _

_ Shit, indeed. Because if the amount of pain Tooru was feeling was the result of  _ one _ soulmark—he had been too young when he discovered Hajime was his soulmate and could not really remember the pain—then he could not imagine what Tobio-chan was feeling with  _ two _ soulmarks. _

_ “We should take him somewhere more comfortable,” Hajime said, sweat trickling from his forehead and expression pinched with pain.  _

_ Tooru gave a weak nod, moving to crouch before Tobio-chan. The younger boy was curled into a tight ball, laying on his side with tears flowing from squeezed-shut eyes. He was breathing quite heavily, too. _

_ “Tobio-chan,” he addressed the ravenetter softly, “can you stand up by yourself?” _

_ A small whimper was all he received, and the sound sent a pang through his heart. Even if he resented the kid, he would never wish pain as excruciating as this onto him.  _

_ “I can carry him,” Hajime offered, to which he could only nod in agreement. _

_ The wing spiker crouched down in front of the younger setter, having to maneuver him slightly before the blue-eyed boy was in his arms. One arm to support his head and one to support his knees. _

_ They moved him to the infirmary, laying on the bed, with both of them sitting either side of him. He had returned to a curled position, body shaking with pain. It was a wonder how he was not screaming right now, only the sound of small whimpers escaping his lips. _

_ “Tooru,” Hajime began. _

_ “Later,” he stated. None of them were in the mind to discuss this at the moment. _

_ A nod indicated the wing spiker’s understanding. Instead, Hajime was now staring at the younger boy laid in front of them, a frown furrowing his brows. _

_ That frown deepened when, both of their pain already eased after thirty minutes, the first-year was still trembling with pain. Something about the sight twisted his heart and, without thinking, Tooru reached out a hand to brush the younger’s fringes, now damp with sweat, back. _

_ He felt his heart twist again at the expression of pain on Tobio-chan’s face. _

_ “How come we never realized?” Hajime breathed. _

_ “I don’t know,” was his whispered response. _

_ People realized they were soulmates when they made skin contact with each other. How they never knew before...then again, Tobio-chan had always been avoidant of physical contact with anyone on the team, flinching a bit every time someone even brushed up against him. _

_ Bot Tooru and Hajime breathed a sigh of relief when, nearly an hour now, Tobio-chan's expression relaxed. His body stopped shaking and he uncurled a bit. It took several moments before he actually opened his eyes, though, blinking slowly as he did. _

_ Slowly, he sat up, looking around with wide eyes. And Tooru already knew what he was going to say, “Um, Oikawa-san, Iwaizumi-san—” _

_ “Not now, Tobio-chan,” Tooru told him softly. “It’s already late. You should go home before your family starts to worry.” _

_ “O-okay.” _

_ “We’ll see you tomorrow, kiddo,” Hajime said. _

_ And with a bow and a courteous “Have a nice night,” Tobio-chan was out of the infirmary, leaving Tooru and Hajime by themselves.  _

_ After simply sitting for ten minutes, they shared a silent agreement to go home and speak later. They walked home in the same silence, a million thoughts passing through his head as they did so. _

_ Before he sorted them out, however, he rushed to the bathroom the moment he stepped into his house. Practically ripping his shirt off and, sure enough… _

_ On his left shoulder blade was the silhouette of raven. Within it was an ocean, a moon in a sky glittered with stars shining above it. ‘ _

_ Tobio-chan’s soulmark. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't really explained how they ended up realizing they were soulmates and figured it was the perfect time to do so.
> 
> About not uploading yesterday, it wasn't that I skipped. I was actually working on this chapter which is over 2000 words. Every chapter I write is usually 1000 or so words (and that already takes like 2-4 hours), so I had to take an extra day to come out with this one.
> 
> I am really happy with how this turned out. It's probably one of the best chapter I've written so far.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it.


	112. Chapter Ninety-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because it was stupidity. Inviting his soulmate—who he may or may not like—to his apartment was the epitome of stupidity. 
> 
> And he wondered why he did that to begin with. 
> 
> He could pass it as a momentary whim. A reckless impulse. But he knew that there had been more to it. But what, was the question.

How the hell did he end up in this situation?

He had played Satie’s  _ Gymnopédie _ because he figured they were tired and had intended to help them relax a bit. Its simple composition and colorful chords made it known to be one of the most calm pieces of the piano. However, he did not think they would fall asleep listening to it.

Perhaps they had been more tired than he had expected—He frowned. If that were the case, they should have declined his offer and gone home to rest.

Because now, he had no idea what to do with the two third-years sleeping peacefully on his couch.

Crouching in front of them, he had to scowl—they really were handsome. Despite his insistent refusal only hours before, he really could not deny this fact.

Oikawa-san, with his delicate lines and sharp features, would lean towards more charming. Like an idol or actor. His brown eyes, a mixture of chocolate and caramel, were mesmerizing with the way they seemed to see completely through someone. Not to mention his smile, which was what seemed to captivate most of his female fans.

Iwaizumi-san, on the other hand, was more on the rugged side of handsome. He had rough features and strong lines that complimented the wild, forest color of his eyes. His smile was more muted than Oikawa-san’s, but radiated an attractive air of quiet confidence.

He glared at them for his train of thought, regardless of the fact that they were still asleep and had no idea what he was thinking. He had nothing to blame but his own stupidity, in all honesty.

Because it was stupidity. Inviting his soulmate—who he may or may not like—to his apartment was the epitome of stupidity. 

And he wondered why he did that to begin with. 

He could pass it as a momentary whim. A reckless impulse. But he knew that there had been more to it. But what, was the question.

Another look at their handsome faces had him scowling again before marching upstairs to grab blankets—As much as he resented them for being so attractive, he did not think it was a good idea to let athletes freeze in their sleep. Because his apartment was freezing, as Kentarou so often told him.

He managed to find a spare blanket big enough for two eighteen-year-olds. Granted, it was not hard considering the majority of his blankets were meant for a king-sized bed. 

When he went downstairs, however, he was greeted by the sight of a fully-awake Iwaizumi-san. The wing spiker smiled at him as he came down and Tobio stubbornly ignored the way it made his stomach flutter.

“Is that supposed to be for us?” the older boy whispered, a hand idly raking through Oikawa-san’s hair. The setter squirmed a little at the touch, but otherwise remained asleep.

Tobio nodded. “I figured you might need it.” They had played a game only a few hours before, and cold air was never good for sore muscles.

He dropped unceremoniously onto Iwaizumi-san’s lap, allowing the wing spiker to spread it out himself, before taking a seat on the couch opposite them. His soulmate made sure that Oikawa-san was warm before laying it over himself.

Tobio watched the scene with a storm of emotions, took note of the affection and fondness glowing the wing spiker’s forest eyes. It felt intimate and private—something he should  _ not _ be seeing. Just like the scene he had accidentally walked into in the gym.

He was made acutely aware of the distance between him and them. Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san had known each other for years. Had practically spent their entire life beside one another. And they were always...together, physically or not.

The thought made him frown.  _ Where did he even fit in in that? _

It already seemed as though they were complete by themselves. As though there was no room for a third in their relationship.

They had told him that they wanted Tobio to accept them as his soulmates, but he had to wonder—Was there even a need for that?

He was sure that, even if he had completely rejected them, they would have been fine with just the two of them.

He felt a dull ache wrap around his heart.

“Sorry about this, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi-san whispered, forcing him out of his thoughts.

“Huh?”

“For falling asleep,” the wing spiker clarified. 

“Um…” he replied so eloquently. “It’s...fine. I should have known better than to invite you when you were so tired.”

“No,” Iwaizumi-san said quickly. “I mean...Both of us are glad you invited us over.”

“Oh,” he said dumbly, forcing himself not to think much about that statement.

“Tooru...he-he was really happy,” his soulmate continued. 

“Okay?” he said, a bit confused about the sudden change in conversation. 

Iwaizumi-san shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “He’s...an idiot most of the time. He acts impulsively when he’s high on emotions and doesn’t bother to think things over. But he’d never hurt you on purpose...He’s a good person.”

“I know that,” Tobio stated, brows drawn in confusion still.

The older boy blinked. “You do?”

“I know very well that both of you are good people.”

“Oh. I-I just...I thought that after what happened in junior high…” Iwaizumi-san did not finish his sentence.

“You mean how he tried to hit me?” he questioned bluntly, knowing he was correct when the older boy flinched. “I mean, I know it wasn’t on purpose. An impulse mistake doesn’t make him a bad person.”

“You just seem to be more...on guard around him,” the older boy explained.

“The fact that he tried to hit me doesn’t change,” Tobio stated. “Obviously, I’d be more cautious of him after that.” 

“He’d never hurt you on purpose,” Iwaizumi-san said again.

He did not like this. He did not like the fact that Iwaizumi-san was defending Oikawa-san over this. Even if he had not seen his egg donor since he was eight, trauma does not disappear so easily. A simple sentence of reassurance was not going to take away years of deep-rooted fear.

Scowling, he hissed, “Stop defending him.”

Iwaizumi-san looked startled. “Shit. I mean-I wasn’t trying to defend.”

“Well, it seemed like you were,” he snapped.

“I’m sorry,” the older boy apologized. “I was being inconsiderate.”

“Obviously.”

The wing spiker winced at the harsh tone. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I just didn’t want you to—”

“I know what you didn’t want,” he interrupted. “But that’s not your place.”

Iwaizumi-san was trying to make sure he would not think badly of Oikawa-san. But that only made him angrier. Because it was always,  _ always _ like this.

Both of them always had each other. To comfort. To defend. It was the same then and it was the same now.

And Tobio...Tobio would always be by himself when he was with the two of them—It was inevitable, really, with how much longer they have known each other. 

Iwaizumi-san would always choose Oikawa-san over him. And Oikawa-san would always choose Iwaizumi-san over him. 

And the hurt that pierced his heart was like a hot lance at the realization.

_ Shit _ , he thought.  _ Fuck _ .

He really did like them. He liked them, and that was why it hurt so much.

Tobio wanted to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so annoyed yesterday. My parents suddenly told me we had to go somewhere just when I was about to write this chapter and we didn't get home until 11 at night.
> 
> Anyways, this chapter hurt me to write. Most because Tobio was completely logical in his reasoning, considering neither Hajime or Tooru had done anything to show him he was equally important to them.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. There's probably going to be a lot more angst from now on.


	113. Chapter Ninety-Nine: Issei's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was already scared enough of Kageyama. Learning that particular fact did not ease his fear whatsoever.
> 
> And why was he so scared of Kageyama? Well...

Although it hurt his pride to admit, Issei was scared of the anomaly known as Tobio Kageyama, a kid two years his junior.

There were a multitude of reasons for this matter, but most important was the people surrounding him. People, who he had wrapped completely around his finger. People, who might very well kill anyone he dared to even hurt him.

Issei knew. He, himself, had been the target of these death threats—Granted, no one had actually threatened him...but that was beside the point.

Kyoutani, the kid’s cousin and someone Issei considered to be a rabid animal, quite literally threatened to send former mafia members onto anyone who hurt the raven-haired boy. And quite frighteningly, everyone knew it was not an empty threat. Because all of them were familiar with the second-year’s personality and all of them knew he was capable of following up the threat.

Hell, Kyoutani would probably kill them before the former mafia members even had a chance.

And that was another thing— _ FORMER MAFIA MEMBERS. _

WHY THE HELL DOES A FIFTEEN AND SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD KNOW  _ FORMER MAFIA MEMBERS? _

He was already scared enough of Kageyama. Learning that  _ particular _ fact did not ease his fear whatsoever.

And why was he so scared of Kageyama? Well...

Issei would swear on both his and Takahiro’s life—no, he felt no remorse for sacrificing another person’s life to prove his point—that the kid was psychic. When he told Takahiro, his dear, sweet soulmate, about this, the other boy laughed in his face—the traitor.

But it was  _ not _ his imagination like Takahiro said it was.

One day, when the kid was still going to their practices, Kageyama literally walked up to him and said, “You’re going to be sick in a few days, Mattsun-san,” with no explanation whatsoever and walked off. He had laughed it off, thinking that the blue-eyed boy was only being weird again.

But then Issei got sick three days later! He had actually had to stay at home because he was so sick.

And no one believed him when he told them about it! All of them said he had been hallucinating from his fever—which was ridiculous because he had so many things better to hallucinate than that single-sentence interaction.

But sure, he conceded. Maybe it was just a coincidence…

Like hell it was! Only a week after that, the kid had said, “Bless you,” three minutes before he actually sneezed!

And he had witnessed, countless times already, how Kageyama dodged a flying ball before someone could even warm him—his back was turned to the ball every single time!

_ Why _ no one—not even Oikawa, who was hell-bent on the theory that aliens existed—believed him, Issei could not even begin to understand.

So suffice to say, he was utterly terrified of the kid. 

However, that was not to say he did not like Kageyama. On the contrary, he adored the kid—well, he adored using him to poke fun at Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Same difference, really.

But he really did adore the kid.

Kageyama was cute. It was so easy to get a reaction out of him—Issei thoroughly understood why Oikaway liked teasing him so much—and it was always funny whenever he scrunched his brows or wrinkled his nose. 

It also helped that he was very pleasing to look at—Iwaizumi would probably have his head for that thought—as evidence of his many admirers, who he was completely oblivious of. Like how oblivious he was to his soulmates’ jealousy. 

And that was the source of all of Issei’s troubles. 

His beloved captains—he pitied them sometimes for how oblivious Kageyama was—had made it a point to show him just how possessive they were of their little soulmate. Oikawa, on multiple occasions, had quite literally almost killed him with an almost-spike to the head—Okay, so he was exaggerating a bit, but he really did think he was going to die. Probably. Maybe.  _ Well _ , death was such a vague point of discussion...so he was anyone to judge whether he really would have died—And Iwaizumi, although more subtle about it, is definitely out to get him with how much more laps he had to do compared to the rest of the team.

And all because the kid said that Issei was his favorite person in the world—Alright, so he  _ did _ rub that in their faces a  _ few  _ times. Multiple times...Fine! He had not shut up about it since the kid told him, so what? The point is: he did not deserve being subjected to cruel and unusual punishments!

Everything would be so much easier for him—Takahiro, too, but to a lesser degree—if the three of them would just GET TOGETHER!

Unfortunately for him, that did not seem to be happening any time soon with how Kageyama was outright ignoring them. 

The kid might think he was subtle about it, but all four of them—as in Issei, Takahiro, Oikawa, and Iwaizumi—saw him turn tail the moment his blue eyes landed on their little group in the hallway. 

And judging by the confusion etched into the two captains’ face, they had no idea why.

He had no idea what the problem between the three of them was—this time. Oikawa and Iwaizumi already told him and Takahiro about the rejection—but he wished they would get their shit together. It was painful for everyone watching.

And it was painful for him, especially, considering he was stuck in the crossfire of their turbulent relationship. 

Okay, so that was also an exaggeration. But. It sure felt that way with all the glares and scowls he had received the past months—Granted, Takahiro would argue that ninety-percent of those instances were well-deserved with how much much he was egging them on, but he digressed.

Issei sighed when they saw Kageyama disappear around the corner for the fifth time this week. He sighed again at the dejected expressions both Iwaizumi and Oikawa were wearing.

“Oh my fucking god,” he groaned, completely fed up with it all. Honestly, it was pathetic at this point. “Stop being so cautious around him! He’s not glass, you know. Just  _ talk _ to him.”

And no, he was embarrassed that he yelled that out in the middle of a crowded hallway. If his friends were embarrassed, then that was their problem. 

“We can’t really do that with him avoiding us!” Oikawa said.

“That!” he exclaimed, pointing a finger at the setter. “That is exactly why you two are getting nowhere. You’re too afraid to do anything!”

“Because what if we made a mistake and he rejects us completely?” Oikawa yelled.

“Would you rather get nowhere at all?” he shot back.

“Of course  _ not _ .”   
  


“Then do something!”

Issei was tired of watching the two of them pine whenever Kageyama was in the room. He was tired of watching them be jealous over everyone close to the kid—he could admit that that  _ might _ partly be his fault with how much he egged them on. But still!

If his sanity remained intact by the time they got together, it would be a miracle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated whether Issei should have a perspective since he's such a minor character in the story, but I thought it would be fun to see a bit of it through his perspective.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	114. Chapter One-Hundred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I told you so,” he stated, completely unapologetic. “It’s your own fucking fault. If you had listened to me and not been stupid—”
> 
> “I get it, you asshole,” his cousin snarled. Or, what was supposed to be a snarl but only came out as weak hiss.

“I told you so,” he stated, completely unapologetic. “It’s your own fucking fault. If you had listened to me and  _ not _ been stupid—”

“I get it, you asshole,” his cousin snarled. Or, what was supposed to be a snarl but only came out as weak hiss.

Because Kentarou was sick. Extremely so. So much so that he was worried enough to skip school to take care of him—Granted, it was not really a  _ hard _ decision considering how much he loathed school...but the sentiment remained.

“Do you have any idea how idiotic you have to be to catch a summer cold?” Tobio continued, not at all intimidated when the older boy was practically half-dead.

From the moment he had received that call from his aunt that morning, he already knew something was wrong—Mizuki-san rarely called him in the morning, just as irritable as he was to be awake. And when he heard the temperature, a resounding 38 degrees celsius, Tobio already knew what was going to be asked of him.

Because Kentarou was a stubborn bastard. Proven by the fact that, when he arrived at his aunt and uncle’s home, he found the older boy practically wrestling with Mizuki-san to go to school—well, volleyball practice—despite the fact that he looked as though he were going to collapse at any second.

He did, too, barely ten minutes later when Tobio forced him into his bedroom after his aunt left for work.

And now, the older boy was laying on bed with sweat drenching his clothes and breaths coming out in short pants. Coughs echoed through the bedroom every other minute and he was blowing his nose so much that an entire was already filled with used tissues.

“Why did you think it was a good idea to sleep with your stomach exposed?  _ Despite _ the fact that I told you not to when I left?”” 

“You sleep naked,” was the defense.

“Yeah. With a blanket covering my stomach,” he retorted, helping his cousin sit up for a sip of water.

He handed the older boy the glass, worrying his lip when he felt the almost searing heat of the older boy’s skin against his own. In the hour since he had arrived, Kentarou’s fever had not seemed to ease in the slightest.

It was worrying.

And Tobio would go to the pharmacy to get his cousin some medicine, but knowing Kentarou and his personality, it made him hesitant. His cousin would, more than likely, sneak out when given the chance despite his fever—the older boy was certainly stubborn enough to do so.

“Are you hungry, Kentarou?” he asked. 

A groan was the only answer he received.

“I’m going to make you some porridge,” he told his cousin.

Another groan, followed by another violent coughing fit and a series of sneezes. A shiver racked his body and had him pulling his blanket closer.

Right. He was  _ definitely  _ not going to leave anytime soon. Not even because he was worried his cousin was going to sneak out anymore—Kentarou could hardly stand upright with the state he was in—but because he was afraid his fever might worsen at this point.

Once in the kitchen, he immediately began preparing the rice. Rinse. Drain. Repeated the process until the water was clear. He then let it soak in water for thirty minutes.

In that thirty minutes, he prepared a basin of ice-cold water and brought it into Kentarou’s room with some towels. His cousin was panting a bit, but his eyes were shut, so there was good possibility the older boy was asleep.

He forced Kentarou to sit upright, cringing when he felt how much he was burning up. “What are you doing?” the older boy groaned, woken up by the sudden change of gravity.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he apologized, helping out of his shirt and pants. Both articles of clothing were soaked in sweat. “But I need to wipe you down.”

A weak nod before he got to drenching the towel in the basin of ice-cold water. He wringed it out before getting to work, muttering a small apology when the older boy hissed against the cold. 

“At least warn me!” the older boy barked.

“Might I remind you that I’m the one taking care of you,” he said dryly. “If I wanted, I could leave you to die in this bed.”

“Okaa-san would murder you,” Kentarou retorted.

He did not deign a response, merely changed the towel before placing it on his cousin’s skin—without warning just to spite him and taking sick pleasure in the hiss that escaped through clenched teeth. He grinned when honey-brown eyes turned to glare at him.

“Fucking asshole.”

“Good to see you’re feeling well enough to insult me.”

“I’ll kill you when I get better,” his cousin warned, his words barely a threat when he was swaying side to side. 

“Of course.”

“I mean it.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“I hate you.”

“I love you, too.”

He chuckled at the sour expression before helping him into a different shirt and pants. When the older boy was laid down again, he placed a folded towel onto his head before going back downstairs to finish the rice porridge.

It was a simple matter of draining the rice before putting it in the pot. He added some water into the pot, stirring it slightly and covering it with lid to let it simmer.

He came upstairs to see his cousin’s phone ringing and the older boy asleep. Not wanting to wake him up simply to take a call, he reached for the phone, read the caller idea as  _ Flake _ and promptly answered it after the third ring.

“Hello?” 

_ “Is this...Kyoutani?” _ Yahaba-san voice sounded on the other end, hesitant and wary.

“No. This is Kageyama,” he answered back.

_ “Kageyama-kun?”  _ the setter clarified.  _ “Is Kyoutani with you? Oikawa-san is asking for him to come to practice.” _

“Kentarou is sick,” he stated matter-of-factly, figuring his aunt must have forgotten to call the school in her haste to leave for work.

_ “Oh.” _ And then there were muffled conversations on the other end that he assumed to be Yahaba-san informing the team. After a few seconds,  _ “Sorry for bothering you, then, Kageyama-kun. IGoodbye—” _

“Wait,” he whisper-yelled, suddenly remembering something.

_ “What is it?” _

“Could you go to the pharmacy to buy medicine for me?” he asked. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave Kentarou alone when he’s this sick and we don’t have medicine here.”

There was only silence on the other end. It stretched so long that he questioned for a moment whether Yahaba-san had already hung up.

“Yahaba-san?” he called out. “Are you still there?”

_ “Uh, y-yeah!”  _ was the rushed reply.  _ “I-i’m still here! Sorry...I was just...surprised.” _

“It’s fine if you can’t.”

_ “I can! I can!” _

“Okay, then. I’ll see you later. Thank you for the help,” he said before hanging up the call.

He glanced at Kentarou and remembered his threat of death from earlier. If the older boy was not serious before, he might very well murder him now.

Definitely. Considering he quite literally invited his cousin’s soulmate to their home without said boy’s knowledge. While he was sick.

Tobio would definitely be dead when Kentarou recovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating yesterday. I apparently found out I have allergies I had no knowledge of whatsoever and the medicine knocked me out. Literally, I fell asleep during one of my classes. It was nothing dangerous, though! It got better with over-the-counter stuff.
> 
> Anyways, I'm going to let the situation between Tobio, Tooru, and Hajime simmer for a bit.
> 
> On the bright side, I'm going to focus more on the friendship aspect. Yahaba and Tobio will obviously be interacting more now that Kentarou and Yahaba found at they were soulmates.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	115. Chapter One-Hundred One: Shigeru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, that had been his plan. But then, Kageyama all but forced him into the house, where he now found himself sitting on their couch.
> 
> And when he asked why he was there, Kageyama only replied with two words, “Shock therapy,” before leaving him to go upstairs with a bowl of rice porridge and the medicine.

Shigeru had not expected to find his soulmate in high school. 

Chances of meeting one’s “fated person” so early were extremely low. According to statistics, there was a less than 3 percent likelihood that someone would meet their soulmate before adulthood—Some would never even meet their soulmate in their lifetime. Studies have stated that a little less than 70 percent ever came across their “fated person.”

Shigeru never expected to meet his soulmate in high school. He certainly did not expect that person to be Kentarou Kyoutani.

To say he had been shocked was the understatement of the century.

He had not been particularly keen upon the realization, though. His experience with Kyoutani had never been...pleasant, to say the least. Shigeru had thought of him as someone whose personality and behaviour were in accordance to his nickname, Mad Dog.

And Shigeru, being who he was, preferred to stay as far away from the other second-year as possible.

Or at least, that had been what he intended...until he went and lost his mind and actually  _ confronted  _ the guy.

Even after realizing they were soulmates, Shigeru’s opinion of Kyoutani had not changed. By nature, he was a pacifist and did not mesh well with someone so aggressive and rude. 

And then there was also the matter of his cousin, Kageyama Tobio. 

He preferred to stay away from the younger boy, too. For one, Kyoutani was strangely overprotective of him, and Shigeru wanted to live a long life, than you very much. For two, Kageyama was just simply someone he would never interact with in general. Shigeru had never interacted much with Kageyama beyond small exchanges of formalities. 

So it was a surprise when the pianist had asked  _ him _ , of all people, to buy medicine for a supposedly sick Kyoutani.

Shigeru, however, was neither heartless nor rude enough to decline, and ended up going to the pharmacy straight after practice before making his way toward Kyoutani’s house. He had already made up his mind: he was going to leave as soon as he passed the medicine off.

Or, that had been his plan. But then, Kageyama all but forced him into the house, where he now found himself sitting on their couch.

And when he asked why he was there, Kageyama only replied with two words, “Shock therapy,” before leaving him to go upstairs with a bowl of rice porridge and the medicine.

So he was now sitting, by himself, on the couch. In the living room. Of a house that he had only been to once before.

He should have declined.

Trying to dispel the awkwardness that was very much permeating the room, he looked around for anything that would distract him from his current situation.

His eyes landed on a framed picture of someone he assumed to be Kyoutani—it was hard to with the non-bleached hair. Without his usual scowl and glaring, and a smile blossoming on his lips and eyes alit with joy, the wing spiker was almost unrecognizable. He was younger, too, his features not as harsh or sharp as they were now.

“That was taken when he was ten,” a voice told him, making him jump in his seat in surprise.

“H-huh?” 

“That picture. It was taken when Kentarou was ten,” Kageyama clarified.

“Oh,” was all he managed to say. He took a moment to recover from his surprise. “I didn’t ask.”

“You were staring for a while,” the ravenette informed him. Had Shigeru really been staring that long? “So I thought you wanted to know.”

“I didn’t.”

Completely ignoring him, Kageyama moved to open some cabinets under the television. “There are more pictures of him.”

“I don’t want to see them,” Shigeru stated. Again, he was ignored. The younger boy simply shoved an album into his lap. “I said I didn’t—Is that Kyoutani in a dress?”

He could only stare at the picture in front of him, barely able to contain his laughter. Because it  _ was _ Kyoutani in a dress. A bright pink, frilly dress with delicate white lace embroidered on the skirt. It was completely hilarious how harshly the dress was juxtaposed with the dark look on Kyoutani’s face.

“He was nine,” Kageyama stated.

“So he was scowling and glaring even then,” Shigeru said, body shaking with the effort to not laugh. He wanted to take a picture and show the entire team—the only thing keeping him from doing so was the knowledge that Kyoutani would murder him if he did.

“There’s more,” Kageyama told him, flipping to a different page.

It was a picture of Kyoutani dressed in a bunny costume. The one-piece was light blue with giant ears dangling from the hood and fluffy, white tail at the back. He was even holding a stuffed carrot.

Kageyama continued showing him various pictures of Kyoutani as a child. Several more of him in dresses. One in a tiger costume. Another of him giving flowers to someone. Some of them were of him crying. 

And Shigeru wanted to stop—he really did—but the pictures were so different from the image he had of Kyoutani that he found himself completely enraptured.

Eventually, when they reached the twentieth or so photo, he finally said, “I don’t think I should be looking at these.”

“Why not?” Kageyama asked, tilting his head with a questioning look.

“Kyoutani and I barely talked to each other. I don’t think he’d appreciate you showing me these.”

“You two are soulmates,” the blue-eyed boy stated. “I don’t see any problems.”

“We haven’t even talked to each other about it!”

“Kentarou wouldn’t reject you.”

“I didn’t say he would.”

Kageyama drew his brows in concern, a scowl forming on his lips. “Then are you going to reject him?”

“That’s not what I meant!” he exclaimed, dumbfounded with the direction of this conversation.

Kageyama nodded. “That’s good. Our family has a lot of former mafia members as employees, you know.”

If Shigeru thought that there was no way they could be related before, he could see the resemblance now. A shiver ran down his spine at the threat, the same one Kyoutani used on his captains and two first-years before.

He really should have just declined buying medicine for this kid.

“A-anyways,” he said, knowing full well how awkward the sudden change of conversation was. “I think it’s time I left.”

“Okay,” Kageyama said, nodding again, “but let me tell Kentarou first.”

“Wha—” and then the raven-haired boy was going upstairs before he could even say a word of protest.

Shigeru, rather than waiting for the younger to come down despite knowing it was polite, immediately rushed to put on his shoes. He was  _ not _ going to be able to talk normally with Kyoutani after seeing those pictures.

Unfortunately for him, Kageyama returned just as he finished putting on his second shoe. And with him, Kyoutani.

The wing spiker was flushed, but his complexion seemed even. His honey-brown eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Shigeru before they snapped towards Kageyama, who at some point had come to stand right beside him.

“I’ll fucking kill you,” the second-year snarled at his cousin. “I’ll bury you six feet under.”

“Thank you for buying the medicine for me,” Kageyama said, completely ignoring Kyoutani who was charging towards him like a mad dog.

Shigeru was out of there in less than a second, but he did not miss the way Kyoutani practically tackled the younger boy before the door closed.

He really should have just declined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY FOR NOT POSTING FOR TWO DAYS! I really don't know why it took me so long with this chapter, but I was having so much trouble with writing it. 
> 
> I tried writing it in Tobio's perspective but was completely lost on how to write it so I switched to a different POV. I'm not very happy with how this turned out, but I think this is the best I could do with it.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, though.


	116. Chapter One-Hundred Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobio kept quiet as the two players argued—well, Kindaichi was arguing and Kunimi was being sarcastic—but he secretly agreed with Kunimi. He thought Kindaichi was a bit too upset with the loss. In the times he had seen the two players since the match against Shiratorizawa, Kindaichi had been sulking every time. Even during lunch, which he thought should be the one time during school when no one should be sulking, the wing spiker barely touched his food.

“Why are you avoiding Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san?” Kunimi asked him, who had been enjoying his lunch and unexpecting of the question. 

Tobio almost choked on the onigiri he had just swallowed, resulting in a fit of coughing. He forced some water down his throat, taking several moments before he could reply without risking his life. “I’m not avoiding them.”

A blatant lie, but he did not particularly care. He had been avoiding them for a while now. It started with a text one day where he stated he would not be able to go to their piano lessons. But then it grew into another day, two more days a week. Until now, when two weeks had already passed without him talking to either of them once. And yes, he knew it was cowardly and he was not particularly proud of it, but he could not bear their presence right now—he might very well burst into tears simply  _ looking _ at the two.

Kunimi looked at him, clearly unconvinced. “So you weren’t avoiding them when you practically dove out of the window when Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san came into our classroom?”

“I cannot recall such a thing,” he replied primly. 

It had happened about a week into his avoiding them. They had clearly gone into his classroom in order to confront him. So, with the only other exit blocked, Tobio had no choice but to slide the window open and rush to his cousin’s classroom. And if he heard his soulmate’s shocked shouts of his name, he convinced himself that it was auditory hallucinations.

“I was  _ there _ , Kageyama,” Kunimi stated, unimpressed by his awful attempt at another lie. “In fact, I was sitting right next to you when it happened.”   
  


“You must have been hallucinating from the summer heat, then,” Tobio concluded, returning his attention to his uneaten onigiris. 

“Uh-huh,” the other first-year said dryly. “Well, since it's so _ clear _ that you  _ haven’t _ been avoiding them, do you know why they’ve been brooding so much during practice?” 

“How should I know?” he asked, taking a bite out of his food, ignoring the narrowed eyes of the opposite hitter. “Maybe they’re just upset by the loss against Shiratorizawa. You know, like Kindaichi.”

It was a completely plausible explanation, in his opinion. Especially considering the state the gym had been two weeks ago when he went to check up on the two. 

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san wouldn’t spend two weeks moping around about a loss,” Kunimi told him.

“Kindaichi is,” he retorted.

“Kindaichi is a lost cause,” was Kunimi’s emotionless reply.

“Hey!” the wing spiker yelled in offense.

“What?” Kunimi questioned, raising an eyebrow in the direction of the other first-year. “It’s not like I’m lying or exaggerating or anything.”

“Let me be upset in peace, at least!”

Tobio kept quiet as the two players argued—well, Kindaichi was arguing and Kunimi was being sarcastic—but he secretly agreed with Kunimi. He thought Kindaichi was a bit  _ too _ upset with the loss. In the times he had seen the two players since the match against Shiratorizawa, Kindaichi had been sulking every time. Even during lunch, which he thought should be the one time during school when no one should be sulking, the wing spiker barely touched his food.

“What even happened during that match?” he asked, the thought coming to him suddenly.

Both of them stopped, turning to look at him. Kindaichi stared for a moment before drifting his eyes to the ground, an ashamed flush coloring his cheeks.

It was Kunimi who answered his question. “Kindaichi kept getting blocked by the middle blocker.”

“Oh,” Tobio said, thinking the situation was far less traumatic than Kindaichi made it seem. “Is that it?”

“Wha-what do you mean ‘is that it?’” the wing spiker sputtered.

He shrugged. “Nothing. Just, it seems like something easy enough to solve if you improve in the right areas,” he stated.

“You didn’t even watch the match. How would you know?” Kindaichi asked, tone harsh. His brows were furrowed into an expression akin to anger.

He frowned, confused by the sudden shift of atmosphere. “I watched it on tape with Kentarou,” he told them, taking a bite out of his onigiri.

“Then didn’t you see how many times I got blocked?” the wing spiker demanded.

“Not really.” 

He had not been paying much attention to Kindaichi being blocked, but that was because it was not something particularly noticeable—blocks happened all the time during volleyball—In fact, the wing spiker had been able to score multiple times during the game.

“Besides,” Tobio continued, not bothering to look at the two players. He was too busy with his food to really care at this point, “you could have avoided those blocks if you timed jumped higher and timed your jumps better.”

Satori Tendou was shorter than Kindaichi, after all. The first-year was quite capable of jumping higher than the middle blocker.

He had not noticed the drop in mood until the wing spiker snarled, “I thought you had changed from the ‘King of the Court.’ I should have known better than to expect anything from a tyrant.”   
  
“ _ What? _ ” he snapped, whipping his head to glare at Kindaichi, who was standing with crossed arms and scowling.

“You heard me,  _ King _ .”

“What’s your fucking problem?” Tobio hissed. 

Although his relationship with Kindaichi was not as comfortable as the one he had with Kunimi, he thought that they had become close enough to call each other friends. So he could not understand why the wing spiker was calling him by his old nickname all of a sudden. Especially when he had said nothing wrong.

“Calm down, you two!” Kunimi ordered.

Kindaichi ignored him, sneering, “My problem,  _ King _ , is how you still have the nerve to command us when you. Can’t. Even. Play. Volleyball.”

“Kindaichi!”

“I didn’t even ‘ _ command _ ’ you, you fucking asshole,” he snarled, standing abruptly to grab the bastard by his shirt.

“What?” Kindaichi taunted. “Are you going to hit me,  _ King _ ? Short-tempered as always, I see.”   
  


Tobio stared him down, shaking from the effort to restrain himself from hitting the other boy and proving the bastard’s goddamn point.  _ What the hell was his problem? _

“Kindaichi! Stop provoking him!” Kunimi yelled, trying to separate the two of them. “And Kageyama. Let go of him!”

He curled his lip into a scowl, a sick feeling crawling at his stomach at the  _ satisfaction  _ glimmering in his eyes—like he had just been proven right. Anger and resentment and bitterness surged through him in waves at the realization.

And hurt. Hurt was like an imprint on his heart—Kindaichi had never accepted the fact that he had changed. Had never believed he would have.

Tobio shoved the wing spiker away from him, storming out of the classroom despite Kunimi’s shouts of his name.

Like hell he was going back to that classroom now. He should have known better than to—He stopped in the middle of the hallway.

When did he even begin to trust Kunimi and Kindaichi?

A moment of thinking and he decided it did not matter. It had clearly been a mistake and he would be damned if he let it affect him.

He was going home. And Kindaichi could rot in hell for all he fucking cared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to hate Kindaichi in this chapter, but at the same time I can't. It's pretty hard to accept the fact that someone's changed and Tobio's words reminded him of their time in junior high. And Tobio was being a bit inconsiderate with his remarks, too.
> 
> Anyways, this chapter was so fun to write. I love angst--romantic or platonic. Hope you enjoyed reading it.


	117. Chapter One-Hundred Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because for what reason would Oikawa-san be at his home? Right in front of his door?
> 
> Convincing himself that it had been a dream and nothing more, Tobio collapsed back onto his bed and closed his eyes. He burrowed himself into the soft material of his pillows, pulling his still-warm blankets over his head, and began drifting—
> 
> The buzzing started again.

_ His wrists were bound behind him by some form of rope or chains. A heavy, unknown weight pressed against his back, forcing him to kneel.  _

_ When he lifted his head and looked up, it was not a surprise to see his mother. Contrary to her usual disapproving frown and cold eyes, however, a smile blossomed on her lips and her eyes shimmer with joy. _

_ Somehow, it only made him more terrified than usual. _

_ His skin crawled as her hand came to caress the line of his jaw. “Tobio, Tobio, Tobio,” she crooned, grin widening. “My darling, darling son.” He winced when that hand tightened on his chin, digging into his bone. The grip was hard enough that it would leave a bruise. “Did you truly think anyone would come to accept you? That they could  _ like  _ you?” _

_ As he always did in her presence, he remained silent. It was a lesson he learned long ago, when retorts earned him harsh slaps and tears earned her glee.  _

_ “No one could like a King. A tyrant.” He flinched at the words. King...Tyrant...they caused his heart to burn with shame and regret and guilt. “Kindaichi was right, you know,” his mother continued. “You haven’t changed at all. You’re the same short-tempered  _ burden _ as you’ve always been.” _

_ “I’m not a burden,” he muttered. _

_ His uncle and aunt never treated him like a burden. They welcomed him into their home despite having no knowledge of him before. They treated him as though he were their own son.  _

_ The smile on her lips stretched even wider if that were possible, morphing her expression into one of manic glee. “Of course you are,” she insisted. “Why else would your soulmates have rejected you? Why else would you feel like an  _ outsider _ beside them?” _

_ He pressed his lips together, a pit opening in his stomach at the questions. _

_ His mother laughed, taking pleasure in his silence. “You can’t answer, can you? You can’t answer because you know it’s true.” _

_ “...It’s not true,” he mumbled, the word unconvincing even to himself. _

_ “It’s true,” she continued. “It’s the truth. You are a burden. You’ve always been a burden. You’ll always be a burden.” _

_ “I’m not.” _

_ “I’m sure your soulmates think so as well. It’s clear they don’t need you,” his mother laughed. “They’d probably be happier if you were gone. Kindaichi, as well. He seems to hate you, after all. See?” _

_ His mother released her grip on his face, moving aside so he could see the people lined up side-by-side behind her. His soulmates and Kindaichi. _ _   
  
_

_ A shiver ran down his spine at the harsh edge in their eyes and the coldness in their features. Terror overwhelmed him as they came closer and closer _ —

* * *

He groaned as the incessant noise of the intercom in his room kept buzzing, cursing his uncle for putting it there in the first place as he forced himself to roll out of bed. 

Dazedly, he pressed the button that would turn on the camera. He figured he should at least give the person at his door the decency of identifying them before he killed them.

When the person showed up on the small screen, however, he had to blink several times to make sure he was seeing correctly.

“Hello, Tobio-chan~” the person greeted him through the camera, a bright smile on his lips and waving with a hand. Oh, right. He forgot that that particular turned on the camera from his end as well. “I came to see my favori—”

Scowling, he muted the screen and the mic. Nope. No way. He did not just see Oikawa-san in front of his apartment. It was an auditory and visual hallucination from being woken up all of a sudden. Yeah. That was it.

Because for what reason would Oikawa-san be at his home? Right in front of his door?

Convincing himself that it had been a dream and nothing more, Tobio collapsed back onto his bed and closed his eyes. He burrowed himself into the soft material of his pillows, pulling his still-warm blankets over his head, and began drifting—

The buzzing started again.

Grumbling curses his breath, he covered his ears with the pillow, hoping to drown out the noise. Unfortunately for him, it did not work and the irritating  _ buzz-buzz _ continued prickling at his ears. 

Releasing a long-suffering sigh, he walked back over to the intercom and pressed the button, scowling fiercely when the face of his soulmate popped onto the screen. “ _ What? _ ” he growled, upset that his sleep had been interrupted.   
  
Oikawa-san huffed, placing his hand on his hips. And Tobio would have rolled his eyes if he was not still half-asleep and irritated. “Is that anyway to greet your beloved soulmate, Tobio-chan?”

“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” he demanded.

“I came to see you, of course!”

“Well, now you have. Goodbye,” he said, going back to his bed for the second time.

His head was not even able to hit the pillow before the buzzing started again. Oh, for the love of—

“ _ Fine _ ,” he snarled, hitting the button that would open the front door. And then he remembered that his house had two doors and added, “The spare key is in one of the shoes.” 

He did not bother telling the setter which one, despite the countless pairs of shoes in the closet next to his second door. If Oikawa-san wanted to disturb his sleep, then he should at least suffer a little bit for it.

It was about fifteen minutes later when he saw a tuft of his soulmate’s chestnut hair peek through a slight opening in his bedroom door. A moment later, the older boy’s head came through, expression hesitant as he scanned the room. It was only when their eyes met did that expression brighten.

“There you are, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa-san beamed, slamming the door open and walking in as though this were  _ his  _ bedroom. “Why are there so many rooms in your apartment? And shoes! Between the two of us, I would have thought I’d have more of those.”

He wrinkled at the shamelessness his soulmate was displaying. “Why are you here, Oikawa-san?” he grumbled, still immensely irritated.

“Don’t pout, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san chided, forming a pout of his own on his lips. “You’ll make me feel unwelcomed.”

“You  _ are _ unwelcomed,” he hissed, turning his head away from the setter and burying it back in his pillow. “Please go away so I can sleep.”   
  
“It’s only six!”

“I fail to see your point,” he replied, the words muffled by his pillow. 

“Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san whined.

“ _ Why are you here _ , Oikawa-san?” He wanted to go back to sleep now. Unfortunately for him, the presence of his soulmate was preventing him from doing so.

“Many reasons, actually,” the setter informed him, his voice coming from a few feet away. “The most important one being why you are avoiding me and Hajime.”

He tensed a bit, and he had no doubt the older boy saw that, but lied anyways. “...I’m not avoiding you.”

Oikawa-san snorted. “You're a terrible liar, Tobio-chan,” the setter stated.

He startled when he felt the bed dip beside him, clambering onto his hand and knees to scoot away from the older boy that was now on his bed. “What are you doing?” he demanded, almost yelling.

“Making sure you don’t try to escape this time,” was the nonchalant answer.

And he was tempted to kick himself when he realized he was quite literally backed into a corner. Unable to help it, he glared at the setter, scowling when it made his lips twist into a pleased smile.

“Now, are you going to tell me why you’ve been avoiding us?” 

Tobio drew his knees to his chest, clutching a pillow in his arms as he continued to glare at the older boy. “ _ No _ .”

Because how was he supposed to tell Oikawa-san that he  _ liked _ them, and that he knew that they would never like him back the same way. Oh, great. Now his eyes were starting to sting with the threat of tears beginning to form—a mixture of embarrassment, frustration, anger, bitterness, and resentment.

All he had wanted to do was sleep. And now he was in a state of near-crying.

And  _ of course _ Oikawa-san noticed, his lips curving downwards as his brows drew together in concern. “What’s wrong, Tobio-chan?”

“ _ Nothing _ ,” he said stubbornly. He would be damned if he actually told Oikawa-san—if he did not die of utter and total embarrassment first, that is.

“Obviously it’s not nothing if you’re about to cry,” the setter argued. “Is it about what happened the last time we were here? Hajime told me that you were upset about what he said.”

He remained silent, not knowing how to respond to that question. It was not as though that conversation was what was making him avoid them, more so the realization from that conversation. But Tobio did not know how to explain that.

“So it is about that conversation,” Oikawa-san sighed, looking too regretful for his liking. “Tobio, I wasn’t using Hajime to get you to forgive me.”

“I know that,” he mumbled. 

And Tobio did. Oikawa-san was a coward and petty and annoying and so many other things, but the setter would never resort to making someone apologize for his mistakes. He knew Iwaizumi-san did that of his own accord, and that was precisely why it hurt.

His vision blurred as tears swam in his eyes. The only thing keeping them from spilling at the moment was pure force of will.

The setter’s expression morphed into one of confusion mixed with increasing worry. “Then why are you so upset with us?”

“I’m not upset with you,” he stated.

He was upset that he would always come second to them with each other. But that was not something that they could control with how much more time they have had with each other. Even if it was not intentional, there would always be an unconscious bias.

“Then why have you been avoiding us?” Oikawa-san pressed, voice laced with concern.

Tobio wished he did not look so earnestly worried right now. He wished that his soulmate would be as sarcastic or why as usual. Maybe then he could hate him enough to force the older boy out of his home.

His lips wobbled as it was getting increasingly harder to hold back his tears. He was not going to cry. He was  _ not _ .

“We won’t know if you don’t tell us, Tobio.” A look of dejection and defeat crossed his features, the setter’s shoulder slumping. “I know you don’t trust us, but we’re soulmates. Hajime and I care about you. You’re important to us.”

And those words were what finally broke the dam of emotions he had been holding back for two weeks. He did not care that Oikawa-san was there and witnessing him in such a vulnerable state anymore. 

It was all too much.

“Sh-shit,” the setter panicked. “I’m sorry, Tobio. I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry.”

Tobio was so emotional that he did not even protest when Oikawa-san hugged him, apologizing over and over even though it was clearly not his fault.

“Do you hate us that much?” he heard the setter mutter. It was low enough that he knew that it was not meant for his hearing, but the older boy’s mouth was so close to his ear due to their hugging position that he could not help but hear it.

“I don’t-I don’t,” he hiccuped, crying even harder because of it, “I don’t ha-ate yo-ou.”

It seemed to shock the older boy so much that Oikawa-san actually pulled back, gripping him on the shoulders with wide eyes staring at him in disbelief. “R-really?”

He only cried as answer.

“Then...do you like us, Tobio?” Oikawa-san asked.

And an irrational anger twisted his stomach at the question. Overcome by the sudden rage clouding his mind, Tobio pushed Oikawa-san away, grabbing the pillow in his arms to hit the setter with it over and over again.

“It’s not fair,” he screamed. “When I agreed to forgive you, I didn’t want to  _ like _ you. This is all your fault! Yours and Iwaizumi-san”s!”

Despite the older boy’s pleas for him to stop, he continued with his attack, taking all his anger out on the setter. This was the worst! Not only did he cry in front of Oikawa-san, he actually confessed to him as well.

He stopped only when his arms were too tired and he was out of breath. Refusing to look at his soulmate, his head into the pillow.

A hand began stroking his back and he shivered as he felt a breath next to his ear. “Tobio,” Oikawa-san coaxed. “Won’t you look at me, please?”

“Stop smiling,” he demanded, upset.

“I’m not, though?”   
  


“I can hear it in your voice.”

“I’m sorry,” the setter apologized again. 

“I don’t forgive you.”

“Tobio,” his soulmate called again. “Tobiooo.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“I promise I’m not smiling.”

“...Promise?”

“Promise.”

Begrudgingly, he turned his head enough so that he could look at the setter from one eye. “You liar!” he accused, catching sight of the bright smile pulling at the corners of the older boy’s lips.

When he saw Oikawa-san try to force himself into a neutral expression but was unable to, his cheeks flushed and it infuriated him enough that he began hitting the setter with a pillow again. 

The accompanying chorus of laughter from the older boy, however, made his heart warm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I wanted an important scene like this to have the three of them together. However, once I thought about it, with how Tobio is feeling about their relationship already, it'll probably make him feel like they were only ganging up on him. So regrettably, I did not include Hajime in this scene.
> 
> And I was so happy that you guys understood what I was trying to do with the last chapter so well. JunieBooks, especially, summed up my thoughts behind that chapter with their comment.
> 
> Hope guys liked this chapter. I really, really like this chapter. It only took 103 chapter (more if you count POVs), but Tobio finally confessed.


	118. Chapter One-Hundred Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “...It’s stupid,” he grumbled, hugging his pillow tighter.
> 
> “It’s not,” Oikawa-san reassured him immediately. His tone was so genuine that Tobio actually looked up from his feet into warm brown eyes. Sincerity glimmered in their depths. “If it’s something you’re worried about, it’s not stupid.”

He glared at his soulmate, who had just come back for the kitchen to get him some tissues, and scowled at the offending smile on the older boy’s lips—a smile, which had not disappeared since his unintended confession.

Tobio made a point to separate them with a line of pillows, which only seemed to amuse Oikawa-san more than anything. It was infuriating.

  
“Stop smiling,” he demanded, scowling. 

“I can’t help it, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said. “I’m happy. Anyone would be if their soulmate liked them.”

He blushed at the words, but attempted to hide it by blowing his nose into a tissue. However, the widening smile on his soulmate’s lips told him that he failed and that the setter noticed his embarrassment.

Tobio scowled. “I hate you,” he grumbled.

“Oh?” the older boy crooned, grinning. “I thought you said you liked me?”   
  


He blushed again, glaring even more when it elicited a laugh from Oikawa-san. “Go home,” he ordered. “I don’t want to look at you anymore.”

It sounded petulant even to his ears, but he ignored the fact and continued glaring. This was all Oikawa-san’s fault! If he had not come over today, Tobio would have never cried and confessed and would still be asleep.

“I’m not leaving,” his soulmate stated.

“Why not?” he asked, almost whining. 

“You still haven’t told me why you’ve been avoiding us.”

“...I don’t want to,” he muttered, hugging his pillow again.

Oikawa-san’s smile turned soft as he tentatively reached out a hand towards his head. Tobio closed his eyes, flinching a bit, but allowed his soulmate to brush back his fringe and caress his face. “You’re not very good at sharing your feelings, Tobio-chan,” the setter said. “But you need to learn to trust and talk to us. We really do care about you.”

“...It’s stupid,” he grumbled, hugging his pillow tighter.

“It’s not,” Oikawa-san reassured him immediately. His tone was so genuine that Tobio actually looked up from his feet into warm brown eyes. Sincerity glimmered in their depths. “If it’s something you’re worried about, it’s not stupid.”

Silence stretched between them as Tobio debated whether to tell him. If he did not, he could continue acting as usual and nothing between them would change—though, whether he actually liked that idea or not was another matter—Or, if he chose to tell the setter and the older boy said he was being ridiculous or something like that, he knew he would close them out even more than he already was.

Eventually, he said, “I don’t know how to explain it.”

Oikawa-san nodded, expression one of understanding and patience. “That’s okay,” his soulmate stated. “Just try the best you can.”

“It’s just...you and Iwaizumi-san have known each other for...a long time...right?”

“Mhmm,” the setter confirmed.

“And...and you...you two have been soulmates for a long time, too,” Tobio continued hesitantly, eyes analyzing the other boy.

He saw as a fond expression immediately formed on the setters, brown eyes softening at the mention of his bond with Iwaizumi-san. It made something wither inside of him a bit, reminded him of exactly what had made him avoid them in the first place.

It made him lose his confidence.

Even if he told Oikawa-san, it was not as though the two of them could change the fact that they had known each other for years already. It would not change anything about how interconnected they were to each other.

He should not have tried to explain.

“N-nevermind,” Tobio mumbled out. 

Oikawa-san frowned then, the first time he was not smiling since the confession. “What’s wrong?” the setter asked, concern coating his voice.

“It’s nothing. Just...I shouldn’t have said anything,” the last parts said so low that he doubted Oikawa-san could hear.

Tobio began retreating backwards a bit, suddenly uncomfortable by their close proximity. However, before he got the chance to create any actual distance between them, two hands grabbed at his arm and pulled him forward. 

Oikawa-san made it so that he was laying flat on his back on the bed with Tobio laying on top of him. The older boy had a tight hold on him, arms wrapped around his waist to secure him in place.

His mind took a second to register what had happened before he started, “L-let go—”

“No,” his soulmate stated firmly, arms tightening instead. “I won’t let go until you talk to me, Tobio-chan.”

“Oikawa-san!” he protested, face heating.

Ignoring him, the setter brought one hand on top of his head, pushing it down onto his chest as fingers raked through his hair. “Tobio, you can’t withdraw like that. The only way this relationship is going to work is if you communicate with us.”

“...”

“Please, Tobio,” Oikawa-san pleaded. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

And maybe it was the way he called him by his name, without the usual and annoying.

“I think I’m afraid,” he whispered, ducking his head to one side and resting it on his soulmate’s. He held tightly to the setter’s arm, needing something to ground him.

“What are you afraid of?” the older boy asked, encouraging him to continue when he had fallen silent. 

Oikawa-san’s arm, which had been wrapped around his waist before, was now moving up and down, a hand rubbing his back in soothing strokes. His other hand was still massaging his scalp, calming his nerves even further.

“Of you and Iwaizumi-san. Your relationship with each other,” he breathed.

“And what about our relationship are you afraid of?” his soulmate pressed, tone gentle.

“...Of how close you are,” he said at last. “What if…” the words got stuck in his throat. “What if, when you two start spending more time with me...what if you decide then that you don’t actually need me in the bond, after all?”

His eyes were burning again, heart beating against his chest. He held his breath as Oikawa-san’s hands stopped moving, hoping that his soulmate would not somehow hurt him in his moment of vulnerability.

Tobio startled when the setter suddenly sat up, hands resting on his hips as they lifted him to sit on the older boy’s lap. He ducked his head.

“Tobio,” Oikawa-san called, voice gentle and coaxing. “Please look at me.”

He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut when the setter cupped his face with both hands to lift his head. Small streaks of tears fell down his face.

“Tobio,” his soulmate said again before he felt soft lips on his eyes, kissing at the corners and lids. “Hajime and I adore you. We would never think that we don’t need you.”

“You rejected me before,” he breathed, his voice shaky despite himself. 

He heard the setter’s breath hitch. “I’m sorry. We were young and immature and we didn’t know how to handle the situation properly. If I could go back in time, I’d take it back in an instant. I know Hajime would, too.”

And Tobio did look at him then. Bottom lip wobbling as tears swam in his vision, he asked, “Really?”

“Really,” Oikawa-san reassured him, resting his forehead against Tobio’s. “Hajime and I were serious when we said we wanted you as our soulmate. And we’ll spend every day proving that to you.”

“I-I don’t know if I can accept everything so—”

“That’s fine,” his soulmate interrupted. “We don’t need to rush, Tobio. We’ll go at your pace. Whatever you’re comfortable with. Okay?”

He searched the setter’s eyes for any sign of deception, but all he could see was a steely look of determination and a soft, warm gaze. Slowly, he nodded. “Okay,” he mumbled.

Oikawa-san beamed, pulling him into a hug that he returned somewhat hesitantly. “I promise that we won’t ever make you feel left out on purpose,” his soulmate said into the crook of his neck. “We’re going to make mistakes—we already have—but it never means that we don’t care about you. Don’t ever think you’re unnecessary, Tobio.”

“Alright,” he said softly.

Tobio could not completely trust them yet—it was too early and the change in their relationship far too new—but that was okay. He could open up to them slowly as they spent more time with each other. 

Because he liked them.

Because they were his soulmates.

Because Tobio—Tobio wanted to trust them.

He allowed his wall—the one he had not let down once since the school year began—to fall away. Immediately, he felt an influx of emotion that was not his own. Shock. Disbelief. Overwhelming joy. And another...one that he was still too afraid to confront. All of it bombarded him.

It was a small step, but a significant one.

From the arms, trembling slightly, tightening around him, Oikawa-san seemed to agree as well. He wondered if Iwaizumi-san thought so as well.

  
Tobio wished that he was here with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guys tell I'm touch-starved and projecting?
> 
> I loved this chapter so much. It's so sweet and Tooru reassuring Tobio is everything. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, too.


	119. Chapter One-Hundred Four: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He figured that Tobio was supposed to be scowling, but all he saw was a cute, little pout. It made his stomach flutter and heart warm, affection overwhelming him. Tooru wanted nothing more than to pull the pianist into a hug again.

Today was probably one of the best days in his life and if Hajime were here, he was certain his soulmate would agree as well. Not only was he able to see his youngest soulmate after two week of avoidance, but he found out that Tobio actually  _ liked _ them.

He should stop smiling. He really should. Tobio-chan had already gotten mad at him because of it, and making him angry again was the last thing he wanted.

But Tooru could not help it.

Even when he came back into his soulmate’s bedroom, tissues in hand, and found the younger boy with his knees curled into his chest and glaring at him, he could not stop.

And when the raven-haired boy separated them with a line of pillows, all he felt was amusement and joy—now that he knew that Tobio liked them, he knew that it was probably the result of embarrassment.

“Stop smiling,” the blue-eyed boy ordered.

He figured that Tobio was supposed to be scowling, but all he saw was a cute, little pout. It made his stomach flutter and heart warm, affection overwhelming him. Tooru wanted nothing more than to pull the pianist into a hug again.

He restrained himself though. Only because he was sure that pushing Tobio too far would do more harm than good at the moment.

“I can’t help it, Tobio-chan,” he told the younger boy. “I’m happy. Anyone would be if their soulmate liked them.”

His smile widened, stretching his lips so far that it almost hurt, when he saw the blush coloring his soulmate’s cheeks. 

The ravenette pouted—well, scowled, technically, but he digressed—again. “I hate you.”

And Tooru tried. He really did. But he could not help himself from teasing the younger boy. How could anyone, really, when their soulmate was being this adorable and precious? “Oh? I thought you said you liked me?”

He laughed when Tobio blushed again. “Go away,” he said, near-whining. “I don’t want to look at you anymore.”

Tooru had to clench his fists to keep himself from pulling the pianist into his arms. Maybe kiss that pout off his lips.

_ God _ , he was so  _ whipped _ . He was never going to hear the end of it from Mattsun and Makki.

“I’m not leaving,” Tooru stated, somehow remembering what he was here for in the first place.

“Why not?” Tobio demanded, actually whining now.

Tooru  _ really _ wanted to kiss him. 

But he remained firm in his objective. He came to Tobio’s home, risking death by Kyouken-chan’s hands—he really thought he was going to die when the second-year found out he had been to Tobio-chan’s apartment—for a reason. “You still haven’t told me why you’ve been avoiding us.”

His heart squeezed a bit when his younger soulmate hugged his pillow, mumbling out a soft, “I don’t want to.”

His smiling calmed a bit, still there but softer than before. Tobio was always so guarded against them. And it was their fault, no doubt, but their relationship would get nowhere if the younger boy kept bottling up his emotions.

Mattsun was right—they needed to do something if they wanted to get anywhere.

Tentatively, he reached out a hand to brush back the fringe on Tobio’s head and caress his face. Tooru knew his little soulmate was very cautious when it came to physical contact—no doubt a product of his mother’s abuse, which made him tremble with anger every time he thought about it—so it was exhilarating when the ravenette only flinched a bit before relaxing into his touch.

“You’re not very good at sharing your feelings, Tobio-chan,” he stated softly, heart skipping when the pianist leaned into his hand. “But you need to learn to trust and talk to us. We really do care about you.”

The younger boy’s arms tightened further around the pillow, pouting even more when he grumbled, “It’s stupid.”

“It’s not,” Tooru objected immediately. He did not want Tobio thinking his thought and emotions were stupid. Not only was it bad for their relationship, but it harmed the blue-eyed boy as well. “If it’s something you’re worried about, it’s not stupid.”

He waited as the younger boy’s brows furrowed and eyes became unfocused, as though debating something in his head. Finally, Tobio said, “I don’t know how to explain it.”   
  


“That’s okay,” he replied. This was good. It meant that his soulmate was willing to talk. “Just try the best you can.”

Tobio took a shaky breath before beginning, “It’s just...you and Iwaizumi-san have known each other for...a long time...right?”

He hummed a confirmation.

“And...and you...you two have been soulmates for a long time, too,” the younger boy continued.

His heart warmed at the reminder. Tooru knew it was rare for soulmates to meet as young as he and Hajime did. Everyday, he felt lucky for it. He felt lucky for meeting Tobio so young, too, despite what had happened between them.

That warmth, however, quickly froze as he saw how Tobio’s expression shuddered. “N-nevermind,” the pianist stuttered out, refusing to meet his eyes.

He frowned. “What’s wrong?” Did he do something?

“It’s nothing. Just...” the ravenette mumbled, the last parts too low for him to hear.

Tooru did not know what had happened in a second that caused Tobio’s change in attitude, but he knew it was a bad sign when the younger boy began moving backwards on the bed. He could practically feel a wall slam down with how quickly the pianist closed him off.

Before he could think better of it, he was pulling Tobio by the arms until he laid on his back with the blue-eyed boy on his chest. He wrapped his arms securely around his soulmate’s slim waist, making sure he would not be able to escape.

“L-let go—”

“No,” Tooru interrupted, wrapping his arms tighter. “I won’t let go until you talk to me, Tobio-chan.”

His soulmate was always so cautious. So guarded. The walls built around his heart so high that it was almost impossible to scale over.

Tooru had wanted to respect that, knowing that he was partially the reason for it. He had wanted to wait until Tobio was ready to open up to them. However, the past few weeks of spending time with Tobio had taught him something about the younger boy:

Unless they pushed a little, Tobio was never going to open up.

Relishing the warmth of the body in his arms and the weight on his chest, he released one arm to push the blue-eyed boy’s head down. He raked his fingers through the younger’s soft, silky locks. Partially because he could not resist, but also to calm Tobio a bit—it was another thing he had noticed, how his soulmate seemed to calm down when he was being petted.

“Tobio, you can’t withdraw like that,” he told him softly. Gently, because he had a feeling one wrong move would end any chances of them forming a relationship. “The only way this relationship is going to work is if you communicate with us.”

Anticipation clawed at his throat when Tobio remained silent.

“Please, Tobio,” he practically begged. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

A hand wrapped around his biceps as the younger whispered, so low that he could barely hear, “I think I’m afraid.”

Relieved that his soulmate was opening up a bit, he stroked the length of the raven’s back to encourage him to continue. He massaged the scalp of the younger boy, heart jumping and stomach flipping when Tobio sighed. “What are you afraid of?”

“Of you and Iwaizumi-san,” came the reply. “Your relationship with each other.”

“And what about our relationship are you afraid of?”

“...Of how close you are. What if...what is, when you two start spending more time with me...what if you decide then that you don’t actually need me in the bond, after all?”

Tooru heart practically dropped to his stomach at the younger boy’s confession, freezing in place. A lump formed in his throat. He did not—He had not meant—he had never wanted to make Tobio feel that way.

And it broke his heart that he even allowed the younger to think like that.

_ Needing _ to look at his soulmate, he sat up abruptly. A pang went through his heart when the blue-eyed boy ducked his head, refusing to meet his gaze.

“Tobio,” he coaxed gently, eyes and throat burning. “Please look at me.”

When the younger boy shook his head, he cupped his face in palm, gently lifting his head up. He was met with the sight of his soulmate with his eyes squeezed shut, tears streaking down and lips wobbling.

It hurt him  _ so much _ to see Tobio like this. To see him so...afraid.

“Tobio,” he said again. Tooru placed soft kisses on his eyelid, kissing the tears away and hoping to comfort the ravenette with the action. “Hajime and I adore you. We would never think that we don’t need you.”

“You rejected me before,” the blue-eyed boy pointed out, sounding on the verge of more tears.

He sucked in another breath, a hot lance piercing through his heart. Guilt pricked at his conscience at the reminder. And if Tooru had not hated himself for the rejection before, he certainly did now.

Seeing Tobio so broken—and it was  _ his _ fault—made his entire being ache.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, knowing it would never be enough for all the pain the younger must have felt. “We were young and immature and we didn’t know how to handle the situation properly.” The ‘we’ being him and Hajime because it had never been Tobio’s fault. “If I could go back in time, I’d take it back in an instant. I know Hajime would, too.”

And when Tobio opened his eyes, when Tooru was captured by depths of an ocean, he would have fallen in love had he not already loved the raven-haired boy. Bottom lip wobbling with the effort to hold back tears, Tobio breathed, “Really?”

“Really,” Tooru answered without a second of hesitation. Resting his head against the younger’s and peering into those enchanting eyes, he continued, “Hajime and I were serious when we said we wanted you as our soulmate. And we’ll spend every day proving that to you.”   
  
Spend every day cherishing him. Protecting him. Caring for him. Loving him. And they would happily spend the rest of their lives doing so. He had no doubt.

“I-I don’t know if I can accept everything so—”

“That’s fine,” he reassured the younger boy. They did not need Tobio to accept them yet. Neither he nor Hajime had done enough to provide him that security. “We don’t need to rush, Tobio. We’ll go at your pace. Whatever you’re comfortable with. Okay?”

Although he said that, he suspected that Tobio was already starting to trust them. He was smiling more when he was with them. Laughing more. He was allowing them to touch him more to, which spoke volumes in and of itself. It was only a matter of gaining his complete trust—of proving themselves worthy of it.

He did not waver a bit when the pianist peered into his eyes. And slowly, the younger boy nodded. “Okay.”

The joy that soared through him was indescribable as pulled Tobio into a hug. He savored the feeling of having the younger in his arms, resting his chin on the junction of his shoulders. “I promise that we won’t ever make you feel left out on purpose. We’re going to make mistakes—we already have—but it never means that we don’t care about you. Don’t ever think you’re unnecessary, Tobio.”

Because neither he nor Hajime would ever think that about their soulmate. Their beautiful soulmate who they could not even imagine not being in their lives.

“Alright,” was the soft reply.

And when he felt the wall drop, the tentative emotions from Tobio flowing through their bond, he was overwhelmed with so many emotions of his own. Most prominent, however, was the utter  _ joy _ at the fact that their soulmate was trusting them enough to do this.

He was trembling as he pulled Tobio even closer, their distance too far despite the fact that there was not even a centimeter of space between them.

Tooru knew that this was not him accepting them as his soulmates. Knew that they would have to do a lot more for Tobio to trust them completely. But…

It was enough for now.

It was more than enough for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is literally just a shameless, self-indulgent POV of Tooru being whipped for Tobio. I think I managed to mix fluff and angst well in this chapter.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it.


	120. Chapter One-Hundred Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He opened his mouth. Then closed it. Open. Closed. And still, no words came out. “...You’re worse than Oikawa-san,” he near-whined, face becoming even hotter if possible.
> 
> Iwaizumi-san was an even worse menace than the setter when he wanted to be. Tobio made a mental note to never provoke him.

For all of last night’s... _ excitement _ , he found himself hesitating to go to school the next morning. 

Tobio, for all his lack of social skills, knew something had irrevocably changed between him and his soulmates. Something new had formed, teetering on a delicate edge. As though one wrong move could have it all come crashing down.

He had spent nearly an hour glaring at his door, battling with himself to simply skip. However, his pride overtook him, a voice sounding strangely like his cousin whispering that he was being a  _ coward _ . And he was stubborn and indignant enough at the mere suggestion that he ripped open his door, telling the Kentarou-voice to  _ fuck off _ .

Which turned out to be a mistake that he soon found himself regretting. 

One tense, silent exchange with Kindaichi at his classroom door had them both scowling at each other. Right. He had forgotten about that. The reason as to why he had ditched school early to begin with yesterday.

Kindaichi crossed his arms, raising his chin in defiant arrogance. “Oh, so  _ His Highness _ decided to grace us with his presence today?”

“ _ Kindaichi _ ,” he heard Kunimi drawl in a warning tone.

“Go to hell,” Tobio snarled, anger flaring through him.  _ Why the hell was  _ he _ mad? _

If anyone should be angry, it was him! All he had done was give Kindaichi some kind advice when the wing spiker suddenly lashed out at him. Taunting him with his nickname. Rubbing his inability to play volleyball in his face—even if the fact did not bother him, it was  _ shitty _ , to say the least, to use someone’s disability against them.

He shouldered past the taller boy, refusing to say even a word more. Any further interactions between the two of them and he did not trust himself to  _ not _ punch the asshole in the face. To hell with suspension or expulsion.

“Kageyama—” Kunimi started.

“ _ No _ ,” he hissed.

Guilt pricked at him at the irritated expression Kunimi wore. It was not as though he was at fault for all of this. If anything, he was the one suffering the most somehow having been caught in the middle.

He knew that. But.

It was so easy to think that Kunimi was on Kindaichi’s side in this argument. Because  _ of course  _ he was—if it had something to do with his nickname.  _ Of course _ Kunimi would agree with Kindaichi in believing he was being his  _ tyrannical, self-centered _ self.

Kunimi remained silent, staring at him for a long time. He only stopped when the bell rang and the teacher ordered them sit down.

♚♚♚

“Kageyama,” he heard Iwaizumi-san’s voice call him.

Sure enough, when he turned towards the classroom door, there was his soulmate in all his glory. Hovering behind him uncomfortably was Kunimi, who was giving him a blank stare.

_ Seriously?  _ He immediately scowled, realizing  _ exactly _ what the other first-year had done.

His soulmate approached him cautiously, as though he were a wild animal just waiting to attack. And he  _ would _ have been offended if he could not feel the worry through their bond.

“Can I talk to you?” the third-year asked. “Outside, I mean.”

_ No _ , was what his mind automatically supplied. But...he had promised himself that he was going to try yesterday. He  _ wanted _ to trust them. To make their relationship work. And their relationship was on such thin ice at the minute. So new that he was scared that one mistake could break it.

With reluctance, he nodded dejectedly, putting down his sandwich. Tobio followed Iwaizumi-san out of the classroom, shooting Kunimi a dirty look as he did so.

He could not believe that the other boy actually  _ tattled _ on him to his  _ soulmate _ . 

The wing spiker led him to an isolated tree near the back of the school building, sitting down at the base of the trunk and patting the space next to him for Tobio to join. He narrowed his eyes, standing there for a moment before begrudgingly moving his feet.

For some reason, he felt a bit betrayed.

Iwaizumi-san chuckled, causing him to glare at the upperclassman. His soulmates have been laughing at him far too much lately for his liking.

“Sorry, sorry,” the ace placated, laughter in his voice still, as though reading his thoughts—though it was more like he was reading his emotions through their bond.

Tobio harrumphed. “Did you invite me out here just to laugh at me?” he asked, indignant.

Iwaizumi-san smiled at him and he felt a burst of affection travel through the ace’s end of the bond. “Of course not. I wanted to talk to you about our bond.”

At that, he startled. “I thought—” Tobio quickly cut himself off, suddenly embarrassed by how much he had been brooding on the way here.

“You thought?” Iwaizumi-san questioned with a raised brow, a teasing smile on his lips.

His face flamed. “I thought you were going to talk to me about Kindaichi,” he mumbled.

“Oh? Do you want to talk about Kindaichi?” 

“No,” he muttered, pouting a bit.

Grinning, Iwaizumi-san said, “Then let’s talk about our bond.”

“What about our bond?” he returned.

“You let the wall down.”

“I did.” He winced, cursing his awful communication, before softly amending, “I want to...try. With you two. I want to trust you two.”

“Tooru told me what happened between the two of you last night,” his soulmate said. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“Are you?’ he blurted. Tobio immediately regretted it the moment Iwaizumi-san gave him an inquiring expression. His throat closed up with embarrassment as he tried to clarify, “Happy-I mean...are you happy?”

“Are you kidding?” The incredulous, adoring look in the spiker’s green eyes made it hard for him to breathe—Had Iwaizumi-san always looked at him like this? How had he never noticed until now? “I’m elated. I’ve never been happier, Kage—Tobio. Can I call you Tobio?”

Blushing, he nodded shyly. “I-I don’t mind.” He wanted his heart to stop beating so fast. 

“Okay, then...Tobio,” the third-year said his name as though he were testing it on his tongue. “Can I ask when you realized you liked us?”

“No.” 

By now, he really should not be as embarrassed as he was. He had quite literally cried to Oikawa-san yesterday while confessing and he was sure that was the peak of embarrassment. But the teasing smile Iwaizumi-san made him feel funny. It was even worse than Oikawa-san making fun of and teasing him.

“Hmm, alright,” the spiker accepted rather easily, though his tone told Tobio that this conversation was not over yet. “Then...what is it about us that you like?”

He opened his mouth. Then closed it. Open. Closed. And still, no words came out. “...You’re worse than Oikawa-san,” he near-whined, face becoming even hotter if possible.

Iwaizumi-san was an even worse menace than the setter when he wanted to be. Tobio made a mental note to  _ never _ provoke him.

“Are you going to tell me?” the ace asked, eyes glimmering with mischief.

“...No.”

“Are you going to answer any of my questions?”

“...No.”

Iwaizumi-san had an amused expression, taking his hands into his. He ran a thumb over both knuckles before bringing his wrists to his lips, kissing them gently. Eyes widening, Tobio tried to withdraw them, only to have the older boy tightening his grip. 

A sly smile had shivers crawling down his back. “St-stop,” he stuttered out, barely able to think. Instead, Iwaizumi-san began kissing the top of his hands, knuckles, palms. He yanked them back harshly, forcing the ace to let him go. “Did-didn’t Kunimi call you to do something?” he stammered, desperate for a change of atmosphere.

At this rate, he was going to combust.

Annoyingly, Iwaizumi-san held his hands palms up, an innocent expression plastered across his face. Though, that small smirk was still there. “I thought you were upset about that?”

“I’m-I’m fine!” he exclaimed. “Just…”

Iwaizumi-san laughed at his lack of words, but complied with his attempt to change the conversation. “Kunimi told me you and Kindaichi got into the fight yesterday. Can you tell me what happened?”

He wrinkled his nose, scowling as he recalled their conversation. “Kindaichi was being stupid.”

“I can’t really help if that’s all you give me, Tobio,” his soulmate said dryly.

“Well...Kindaichi was sulking about losing that match against Shiratorizawa and was blaming himself and everything. So I told him that all he needed to do was jump higher and have better timing. And then he started calling me ‘King of the Court’ again and then next thing I knew, he was insulting me.”

“Okay…” Iwaizumi-san said slowly, digesting the information. “Why would you think he needed to jump higher?”

“‘Cause he can! He’s taller than that middle blocker from Shiratorizawa, so it’s obvious he can jump higher. Plus! If he trained muscles, it’s possible for him to jump several centimeters higher!”

“And did you tell that to Kindaichi?” the older boy asked patiently.

He blinked. “No?” 

Iwaizumi-san sighed, causing him to frown. The older boy moved to sit closer to him and he tilted his head in confusion. “Tobio...I think Kindaichi has a right to be mad in this situation.”

“But I didn’t say anything wrong,” he argued, frustrated and angry that Iwaizumi-san was taking the other boy’s side.

His soulmate began petting his head. “I didn’t say you were wrong,” the spiker agreed. “But it’s understandable why Kindaichi got mad. Think about it. All he heard was you telling him to jump higher. You didn’t bother to explain your thoughts to him at all. Of course he was going to be reminded of what happened in junior high.”

“...I didn’t mean to…” he tried to explain, starting to understand a bit.

It was all a misunderstanding. Because he could not explain himself well, they had broken into an argument. So it was all his fault.

It made him frustrated and sad at the same time. Why was he not able to communicate like normal people? 

“I know you didn’t, Tobio,” Iwaizumi-san assured him, pulling him into a hug when the older boy felt his emotion through their bond. He returned it a bit awkwardly, finding a bit of comfort in the warmth. “But people can’t get over things so easily. Sometimes, your past haunts you even if your mind rationalizes that it can’t affect you.”

“...I can understand that.” It was kind of like how, even after seven years, he still remembered his mother every once in a while. However… “But Kindaichi shouldn’t have rubbed it in my face that I can’t play volleyball anymore.”

A flash of anger through the bond had him flinching slightly. “He  _ what _ ?”

“Umm...yeah. It was pretty shitty.”

He shivered when Iwaizumi-san exhaled roughly beside his ear. He did that a few times, seemingly trying to calm his anger. It worked—he felt the emotion subside. “Okay. Okay. That was wrong of him. And I’m sure he only said that in the heat of the moment. It was shitty, yes, but that’s exactly why you two need to clear things up.”

Knowing he was right, Tobio conceded, “I’ll..try...to talk to him.”

“Good.”

And right on time, the bell rang to signal the end of lunch. Iwaizumi-san released him from the hug, helping him rise to his feet.

“You won't be avoiding us anymore, right?” the setter questioned, holding his gaze with a burning look.

He nodded. “Right.”

Iwaizumi-san smiled, a satisfied, small curl of the lips, and said, “I’ll see you later, then.”

Before he got the chance to reply, his soulmate was placing a kiss on his cheek, earning a squeak of surprise from him as his hand shot up to the place where the spiker’s lips just were. Iwaizumi-san grinned, waving goodbye to him as he jogged back to class.

Tobio stood there for a moment, face burning, staring at the older boy’s retreating figure.

Right. He was  _ never _ going to provoke Iwaizumi-san.  _ Ever _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the last two chapters were OiKage, so I HAD to do an IwaKage one.
> 
> I think it's appropriate that Hajime was the one who handle the matter with Yuutarou and Tobio. If it was Tooru, I think he would get too emotional that Tobio got insulted and would defend him even if he was at fault--which would solve nothing.
> 
> Also, I firmly believe that Hajime is a bigger menace than Tooru. Tooru is always so obvious, but Hajime is more subtle and I think that's worse.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	121. Chapter One-Hundred Five: Takahiro's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He considered himself a good upperclassman—However, Takahiro also knew that he was not the most dependable of people. His advice usually bordered on the line of ridiculous and possible jail time, and his solutions more often than not caused more problems.

Takahiro would like to consider himself a good upperclassman. Even if they were younger than him, he made sure to give them the respect they deserved and assisted them when they needed help. Sure, he teased and made fun of the when he was in a particular mood for it, but that was customary with any upperclassmen-underclassmen relationship.

He considered himself a good upperclassman—However, Takahiro also knew that he was not the most dependable of people. His advice usually bordered on the line of ridiculous and possible jail time, and his solutions more often than not caused more problems.

So, it was a surprise when Kindaichi showed up at his classroom during lunch, asking to speak with him. The purpose of his request was an even bigger surprise.

“You and Kageyama got into a fight and you’re asking _me_ for advice?” he questioned.

Both of them had made their way into an empty classroom, seated on chairs and facing each other. Kindaichi had been the one to lead them there, claiming it to be a private conversation.

The wing spiker nodded stiffly.

“Why not Oikawa or Iwaizumi? Issei?” he asked.

All of them were better options than him. He was not self-deprecating. It was simply a fact. Oikawa, despite his flamboyant nature, could be quite serious and mature when the situation called for it— _only_ when the situation called for it, actually. Iwaizumi was probably the best at handling the underclassman between the four of them, and he knew that most of the younger boys regarded them as their favorite. And Issei, though not much better than Takahiro, had more sensibility than him most of the time.

“Um...well...Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san are Kageyama’s soulmate, so…” the spiker trailed off, shuffling nervously in his chair.

“So you’re scared they might be biased,” he concluded. It made sense, with how protective those two were of the blue-eyed boy.

Not to mention how happy they were that morning—glowing brightly enough to give the sun a run for its money. It had been quite obvious that something happened between them and Kageyama. A good thing, though that was probably an understatement.

“And-and Matsukawa-san had to meet with a teacher,” Kindaichi said.

“Ah. So you already went to find Issei, but had to settle on me instead.”  
  


“No! That’s not what I meant—”

He laughed at the younger’s nervous expression and panicked voice. “Relax, Kindaichi. I’m only joking. So, what’s this about you and Kageyama?”  
  


Tobio Kageyama was somewhat of an anomaly to him. He had heard rumors about the boy, but had never cared much for them. When he finally met the raven, the image of the ‘King of the Court’ did not coincide at all with his personality.

Oh, he was arrogant, of course. There was no doubt about that. But that arrogance was justified for the most part. His prickly nature was more amusing than it was infuriating and his rudeness seemed to stem from his inability to socialize—seriously, Takahiro had never met anyone as socially incapacitated as him.

Oftentimes, he found himself likening Kageyama to a feral animal or a car crash. Equal parts horrifying yet fascinating.

A feral animal was more accurate, though. Especially, when, one time, the team had gone to a restaurant for their occasional “team-bond”—it was always just an excuse for Oikawa and Iwaizumi to pay for their meals—and Kageyama had joined them. The raven-haired boy had gotten into an argument with Kyoutani about the second-year stealing his food, or whatever. During one of their many insults, Kyoutani had retorted with a “Bite me,” to which Kageyama _actually did_. Hard. And refusing to unclench his jaw for several minutes.

Takahiro still shuddered at the memory of the bite marks on Kyoutani’s arm, which stayed there for at least a week. He had sworn then and there _never_ to steal the kid’s food.

He hoped for Kindaichi’s sake that this argument between them did not result in a bite.

“Kageyama was being an asshole,” Kindaichi told him. “He had reverted back to being the ‘King of the Court’ from junior high.”  
  


“So what did he do?” Takahiro asked.

“He said I should jump higher,” the spiker muttered, eyes downcast.

He hummed a bit before saying, “Tell me exactly what had happened.”

And so, Kindaichi recalled minute by minute what had happened and what had been said between the two of them. How Kageyama was being insensitive and telling him to jump higher, and how Kindaichi had responded by insulting him with his nickname.

After the first-year finished, Takahiro was thinking about what to approach first. He settled on, “It was shitty of you to mock him about his leg.” 

The younger boy flinched, an ashamed flush coloring his cheeks. That was good. It was important he understood this. 

He knew that Kindaichi was an emotionally-driven person. It was both a strength and a flaw. Because that meant that he could say or do things in the heat of the moment that he would later come to regret...which seemed to be what was happening at the moment.

“But I can understand why you did that,” Takahiro stated. “It was incredibly insensitive of Kageyama to just get over your loss without considering your feelings. Everyone has a different way of handling loss. Some take longer than others, so there’s nothing wrong with you taking more time.”

Kindaichi nodded, listening attentively.

So, he continued, “And I can see why you got angry when Kageyama told you you had to jump higher. From the rumors about what happened in junior high, I can guess why that would affect you so much.”

‘It’s just...he makes me feel so less than whenever he says that. Like I’m not good enough,” Kindaichi confined, the beginning signs of tears making his eyes shiny.

And Takahiro sighed, sympathizing with his underclassman. “You are good enough, Kindaichi,” he stated. “You’re only a first-year, and yet, you’re a starting player on one of the best teams in the prefecture. Have some more confidence.”

“I am confident,” Kindaichi said. “But whenever Kageyama—”  
  


He interrupted. “I’m sure you’ve noticed by now how socially-challenged Kageyama is. He struggles to form coherent sentences most times.”

Takahiro had considered him rude at first—he still did sometimes.

Hell, just a few weeks ago, the kid had told him straight to his face how strange he thought his relationship with Issei was. No context whatsoever. In a completely monotone voice. He had barely managed to restrain the urge to punch the bastard.

But then, a few days later, Kageyama had approached him with tickets in hand—two of them, for one of the concerts Takahiro had mentioned offhandedly that he wanted to go to. With a crimson face and stuttering words, wide-eyed and clenching his fist, he had explained how he had meant weird in a good way. To be honest, the explanation barely made sense, but it was enough for him to know the kid had been well-intentioned.

“It’s easy to misunderstand him.” So, _so_ easy. And Kageyama never made it any easier with the tone of his voice. “Have you considered that you might have taken his words in the wrong context?”

“I don’t see how I could have taken it in the wrong context,” Kindaichi grumbled bitterly.

He sighed at his underclassman’s stubbornness. “Honestly, Kindaichi? I don’t think Kageyama said anything that was really wrong.”

“What?” Kindaichi blurted, meeting his face with betrayed eyes.

Takahiro held up a hand when it looked like he wanted to protest. “Listen to me first. Kageyama said that you can jump higher, right? Well, I agree. With your height, it’s definitely possible. Unless, you intend for your jumping reach to stay the same?”  
  


“No,” Kindaichi muttered sulkingly.

He nodded. “I think you two just need to talk. Clear things up, you know?”

The spiker nodded. “...I’ll try. Thanks a lot, Hanamaki-san.”

Takahiro ruffled his hair. “No problem, kid.”

Yeah, he considered himself a good upperclassman, alright. Maybe he should brag about this to Issei, rub it in his face and everything.

That seemed like a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Issei and Takahiro's perspective is always so easy for me. I don't know why, but I think it's because I think of them as comedic relief, so there thoughts come out easier in my mind.
> 
> I didn't intend to write this chapter. I meant to skip write to the apology. But this chapter came out so easily that I felt like it was important. So here it is.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed.
> 
> P.S. I had a burst of inspiration and ended up writing a TsukkiKage fic. So I hope you guys could check it out here.


	122. Chapter One-Hundred-Six: Yuutarou's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’M! Sor...sor…sor…” Kageyama stuttered, voice getting smaller and smaller by the second.
> 
> Yuutarou could only stand there, frozen, as he stared at the blushing, wide-eyed boy before him. The raven stood rigidly, spine straight and head down, his hands clench on the hem of his shirt. It was a whiplash experience, watching Kageyama try and stutter out an apology.

_ “Jump higher!” _

_ The words came out harsh and demanding, rippling with a condescending undertone that had Yuutarou grinding his teeth. A tyrant’s command. _

_ “He’s insufferable,” he hissed towards Kunimi, voice hushed lest they anger the King. _

_ He loathed Kageyama. Loathed those ridiculous tosses of his. Loathed the need to chase an impossible ball. Setters are supposed to accommodate their set to the spikers—not demand them like pawns on a chess board.  _

_ “Ignore him,” Kunimi advised, sending the blue-eyed boy a seething glare despite his words.  _

_ “How can I?” Yuutarou shot back, unable to help the bite of anger in his voice. “He’s shouting for everyone to hear.” _

_ Practices these days had an air of tension. Choking and heavy as it weighed on their shoulders. Everyone was on guard, mindful of every action and weird. All of them were straining to match their setter, none wanting to incur his wrath.  _

_ It was suffocating. _

_ Several of the new players had already quit the club as a result, too scared of their supposed vice-captain to continue. And all the ones who stayed barely had the courage to utter a peep. _

_ It infuriated Yuutarou. _

_ Volleyball was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be the rush of adrenaline when he landed a perfect serve. It was supposed to be the exhilaration of a spike. It was supposed to be the satisfaction of a block. It was not supposed to be...this. _

_ Yuutarou was not supposed to dread the thought of going to practice. He was not supposed to anticipate the end of a season. _

_ He hated it. Hated Kageyama. Hated the genius who acted like a king. _

* * *

“I’M! Sor...sor…sor…” Kageyama stuttered, voice getting smaller and smaller by the second.

Yuutarou could only stand there, frozen, as he stared at the blushing, wide-eyed boy before him. The raven stood rigidly, spine straight and head down, his hands clench on the hem of his shirt. It was a whiplash experience, watching Kageyama try and stutter out an apology.

After that conversation with Hanamaki-san, he had resolved himself to reach out to the younger boy first, knowing full well how stubborn the former setter was. He had never,  _ in a million years _ , expected the blue-eyed boy to approach him first. 

And actually  _ apologize _ .

He was so shocked that the only word he managed to get out was an eloquent, “Huh?”

It seemed to be a bad thing to say—considering the blush on Kageyama's face deepened as a result, turning an almost crimson color—but could anyone really blame Yuutarou? It was so jarring that he had no idea how to react.

“I’m! I’m! I’m sor-sorry!” the other boy finally stammered out, eyes now squeezed shut in embarrassment.

“What?”

“I’m-I’m sor-sorry,” he repeated. 

Again. “What?”

“Fo-for th-the other day. I...should have been more...more…” his eyebrows furrowed slight, mouth twisting into a frown as he struggled to find the right word. Eventually, Kageyama just said, “not insensitive.”

And Yuutarou could not even begin to process what was happening. Because  _ Kageyama _ was  _ apologizing _ . 

_ Kageyama  _ was  _ apologizing _ .

He looked around for any sign that would indicate this situation as a joke. However, all he was met with was the scenery of trees and an empty courtyard—Kageyama had taken him to the back of the school during lunch.

“What-what are you doing?” the younger boy asked, head tilted in confusion and frowning.

“Um...this isn’t a joke, is it?” 

Yuutarou blinked when his brows furrowed in what appeared to be frustration and his lips twisting into a pout. “ _ No _ ,” Kageyama practically hissed. “Are you stupid? Why the hell would I apologize as a joke?”

“It’s just...I didn’t expect you to...” he tried. “You’re...I didn’t expect an apology from you.”   
  


The younger boy’s expression did morph into frustration then. “I’m apologizing and you’re mocking me?” 

“What? No!” he quickly amended. “I was just surprised!”

Oh,  _ god _ . He did not expect that talking to Kageyama would be so difficult. Whenever he was with the former setter, there was always someone else in the conversation, diffusing any tension or awkwardness between the two of them. It was usually his upperclassmen or Kunimi—who had gotten surprisingly comfortable around the blue-eyed boy.

Was it always this...challenging with Kageyama?

How come he never noticed?

Then again, Yuutarou never actually talked to him alone before. Neither in junior high nor high school. Something—a slow understanding and realization—clicked in his mind.

He thought back to what Hanamaki-san told him:  _ It’s easy to misunderstand him _ .

“What-what did you mean when you told me to jump higher?” Yuutarou asked. He was going out on a limb with this, but it seemed important. To clear up the argument.

“Huh?”

“Um...when you told me I could have avoided those blocks if I jumped higher,” he clarified. 

Yuutarou had seen red when he heard those words from that mouth. All of the bitter memories from junior high resurfaced in a flash, reminding him of how...insignificant he felt when he could not hit those tosses. How less than he felt with every biting word and scathing comment.

“Um...well...you-you’re taller than Shiratorizawa’s middle blocker,” Kageyama began, words clipped and shuffling uncomfortably on his feet. As though having to put it into words made him restless. “It-it doesn’t make sense that you...wouldn’t be able to jump higher than him. And-and it seemed like you were...timing your jumps too late...so...the ball was lower than it could have been. It...forced you to hold back on your jump...so you couldn’t jump as high as possible.”

What. The. Hell. “ _ That’s _ what you meant?” Yuutarou practically screamed, incredulous.

No wonder he misunderstood what the blue-eyed boy was trying to say. He left out the entire explanation!

“You’re really bad at talking, you know!” he exclaimed.

The blush, which had died down halfway through the explanation, returned in full force. “I-I know that!” Kageyama yelled. “I’m not...good with words.”

“Obviously,” Yuutarou said, but his mood was pleasant. Happy even. And incredibly amused.

He was starting to understand why Kunimi had been telling him to speak with Kageyama alone these past weeks. Seeing how socially-inept the blue-eyed boy was, it made him reconsider all the previous conversations he had had with him.

“I’m sorry, too,” he declared. “I said a lot of things and jumped to conclusions. And, about your leg, I didn’t mean to mock you about it.”

He had always been emotional and his mouth had moved before his mind could think. He ended up saying some things he had regretted. The comment about Kageyama not being able to play anymore weighed most heavily on his conscience.

Kageyama nodded. “It’s...fine.”

“We should head back inside now,” Yuutarou stated. “Classes are about to start again.

Another nod. “I...I need to apologize to Kunimi, too.”

He winced. “We did drag him into this, didn’t we?”

Another nod. And then Kageyama was leaving, heading to his classroom.

Yuutarou stared at his back, a million thoughts going through his mind. Most prevalent was the disbelief of how someone could be so socially-challenged. It made sense now why Hanamaki-san told him he might have taken their conversation out of context and misunderstood him.

No wonder people thought he was rude.

In another corner of his mind, he wondered what could have been different with them in junior high if he had known this? Would Kageyama have become the ‘King of the Court’ if he did?

If Yuutarou had—No. He was not going to dwell on the past. What was done was done. There was no use in wondering when it was impossible to change.

What mattered was now. And now, Yuutarou thought Kageyama was someone he could become friends with. Might already consider a friend.

The thought made him smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating these past two days. I've had a lot of homework lately and haven't been able to find time to write. Also, who the hell thought it was good idea to invent annotate bibs? What's the point of them??? They're literally useless in real life, so why do we have to do them?
> 
> I wrote this chapter in Yuutarou's perspective since I thought it was best to see things from his side. I like to think that he's a pretty understanding and emotional character, so I would assume it's pretty easy for him to forgive people if he understands them.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. For the next week or so, my updates will be pretty irregular since I have a lot of work and tests coming up.


	123. Chapter One-Hundred Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blush crawled onto his cheeks, one he fought to fight down but failed. He had noticed it these past few days. How Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san had been taking more initiative to touch him. They were barely there types of touches—a brush of their fingertips, absentminded head pats, casual pokes at his face meant to irritate. It had his heart skipping every time, never failing to bring a blush to his face.

“I-I apologized to Kindaichi,” he announced, staring Iwaizumi-san straight in the eye.

He did not know why, but he felt compelled to tell the older boy, who had been the one to encourage him to clear up the misunderstanding. Tadaaki-san and Mizuki-san and Akihiro-san told him that it was prudent to show gratitude to those who have helped you.

“Good job, Tobio,” Iwaizumi-san praised him, petting him on the head.

A blush crawled onto his cheeks, one he fought to fight down but failed. He had noticed it these past few days. How Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san had been taking more initiative to touch him. They were barely there types of touches—a brush of their fingertips, absentminded head pats, casual pokes at his face meant to irritate. It had his heart skipping every time, never failing to bring a blush to his face.

He would never admit how much he enjoyed it out loud.

“Our Tobio-chan is growing up,” Oikawa-san sighed dramatically, falling onto the couch in such a theatrical manner that he could not help but roll his eyes.

“You’re the one who needs to grow up,” he grumbled.

Oikawa-san gasped. “Rude, Tobio-chan!” the setter cried.

Iwaizumi-san snorted. “It’s not like he’s wrong.”

“Not you, too, Iwa-chan! My soulmates are so mean to me!” 

Another thing he enjoyed. This comfortable banter between the three of them. It was relaxing—especially since he no longer had the wall up anymore. Although it had not hurt him in any way, keeping that block had drained a lot of his energy. Even more so when he spent so much time with them.

“Oh, Tobio-chan, are you happy?” Oikawa-san asked, a beaming smile on his lips. 

“Maybe,” he answered.

“I can feel it through the bond,” he sang-sung, poking his cheeks again.

He felt his face heat up. “You’re imagining it,” he said, scowling.

“I don’t think we are, though?” Iwaizumi-san teased, a grin blooming across his own face. 

“You are,” he insisted. “A-anyways, aren’t you supposed to be warming up your fingers? Why are you over here?”

At least one of them should be sitting at the piano, which was currently barren. They were _not_ supposed to be sitting next to him on the couch, teasing him until he wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

“We prefer to sit with you,” Iwaizumi-san said smoothly.

“Go sit over there,” he demanded, pointing to the piano, and too embarrassed to say anything else.

“Aw, don’t pout, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san cooed, taking his face into his hands and squishing his cheeks. “I mean, you look adorable, of course, but it’s so much better if you’re smiling.”

No, his heart did _not_ skip a beat. No, being called adorable did _not_ make his mind go blank. And no, he was _not_ thinking how ridiculously attractive both of them were with smiles on their faces—he was _not_.

He slapped away the hands on his face, attempting a glare that failed to accomplish its goal of intimidation. Rather than scare the two, he could feel the amusement flowing through the bond in waves. 

“Start playing or I’m leaving,” he told them.

Iwaizumi-san chuckled. “Sorry, sorry,” he apologized, airy and careless, before casually planting a kiss on his forehead.

His hand immediately shot up to the point of contact, blush returning in full force as he felt his skin tingling. 

He had never noticed it before on account of him actively avoiding them, but being subjected to it now made him acutely aware. Iwaizumi-san was...affectionate. Incredibly so, in fact. So much that had been left a blushing mess more times these past few days than he would like to admit.

“How cute, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san crooned.

“I’m not cute,” he protested, remembering his conversation with Semi-san. He hated that the violinist was right. “Don’t call me that.”

“You don’t have to be so embarrassed,” the setter said, eyes impossibly soft and voice overflowing with affection. “It’s just how we show our love. Iwa-chan likes physical touch, but I prefer words.”

He nodded, unsure of what to say. Not exactly experienced with relationships, he did not know how he managed to show his care. His family always seemed to know what he meant without him saying anything, so he had never really learned much beyond teasing jabs and occasional ‘I love you’s.

It was so strange—having to think about it.

“But if you’re uncomfortable, we’ll stop,” Oikawa-san reassured him. “We don’t want to pressure you.”

Tobio shook his head. “No. It’s...fine,” he mumbled.

Iwaizumi-san, who had migrated to the piano, spared him from further embarrassment by beginning to play some scales. The older boy alternated between rhythms as he warmed up his fingers for the next five to ten minutes or so.

It was smooth, the light melodies flowing freely. A stark improvement from the first time he tried it, which consisted of off keys and irregular patterns that had Tobio almost wincing. 

It was also a testament to how hard they had been trying, and the thought left him contemplating…

“It’s nice,” he complimented the spiker.

“Did you-did you just compliment me?” Iwaizumi-san sputtered, wide-eyed and mouth opened in shock. 

For some reason, he felt offended. “I can take it back,” he sniped. 

“No, no, no,” Iwaizumi-san quickly dismissed, mouth forming into a bright grin. “I was just...surprised.”

“And why are you surprised?” he demanded, pouting. Tobio had complimented them before!—Or, at least, he was pretty sure he did.

“No offense, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san said, snorting a bit, “but your methods of teaching are totalitarian. It’s the first time you’ve complimented either of us about our playing.”

“I warned you that I would be strict!” he protested, feeling wronged.

“Oh, don’t be upset, Tobio-chan,” the setter coaxed, voice bright, petting his head and forcing him to lean into his arms. “You can be a demon sometimes, but you’re still cute.”

Tobio scowled, pushing the older boy away from him, and glared. “I’m not that bad. And I told you not to call me cute!”

“But you are cute,” Iwaizumi-san stated, suddenly appearing behind him on the couch. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t call you so.”

Great. Now he was blushing again. And the amusement and adoration he felt through the bond did _not_ help with his burning cheeks or skipping heart either. 

“You two are supposed to be practicing,” it was meant to be said a lot harsher than the weak whisper he let out. 

“I think we can skip one day,” Oikawa-san crooned. “We’ve been practicing diligently even when you avoided us for two weeks.”

Tobio did feel guilty for that. But! He could not help it! What was he supposed to do after realizing he liked his soulmates? 

“You should repay us for that, by the way,” Iwaizumi-san stated, a sly smirk on his lips. “You promised us six months, but what are we going to do if you randomly choose to avoid us?”

“That-that couldn’t be helped,” he stammered out.

A shiver crawled up his spine when he was met with his soulmates smiling like the Cheshire cat. Both of them tackled him onto the couch.

If, in the future, he was ever asked why he allowed this incident, Tobio blamed it on his guilt for avoiding them for two weeks. _Not_ because he enjoyed them hugging and cuddling him, peppering kisses across his face.

Nope. 

No way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has 1234 words. I am completely satisfied with this fact.
> 
> Now that I've established that they all know they like each other, there's going to be a lot more time skips. Mostly because the story will drag on if I don't and I'm getting a bit impatient to finish this fic.
> 
> I'm letting Tooru and Hajime touch him a lot, I know, but again, I'm touch-starved and projecting so...Yeah. Both of them teasing Tobio is exactly what I imagine would happen, so that's also another reason. And Tobio being overwhelmed (in a good way because both of his soulmates know when not to push it) is adorable to me.
> 
> Also, this is like the honeymoon phase of a relationship for me. So, obviously, I feel like they're going to show a lot of affection.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I have four-day weekend, so hopefully I'll be able to update as I usually do from now on.


	124. Chapter One-Hundred Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of his new songs were, in some way or the other, connected to his...feelings for Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san. All of them were vastly different from his previous songs. Brighter. More upbeat. Romantic. Much, much more embarrassing.

He sat uncomfortably in the chair, shuffling under his uncle’s scrutinizing stare. It was not the first time he was meeting Akihiro-san in his office, in an official, business sense of the word, but this time made him unbelievably nervous.

As the songwriter and composer of the company's most successful group at the moment, he was used to presenting his songs to his uncle—all of them had to be approved by him beforehand, after all—but it was different this time.

The reason: the newly written songs in his notebook.

All of his new songs were, in some way or the other, connected to his... _ feelings _ for Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san. All of them were vastly different from his previous songs. Brighter. More upbeat.  _ Romantic _ . Much, much more embarrassing.

And when it came to business, Tobio  _ knew _ he should not let his personal feelings influence his work and that he should be looking at Akihiro-san as his boss right now, but this was his  _ uncle _ . Practically his father. Someone who had watched him grow up since he was eight years old.

The thought of showing  _ these _ songs to the older man left him mortified.

“Aren’t you going to show me, Tobio?” his uncle questioned, eyeing the notebook he had tightly gripped in his hands, held protectively to his chest.

“Um...maybe?” was his answer. He winced immediately after, tightening his grip even more.

Akihiro-san raised a brow, mouth quirking up in amusement. “Is there a reason I can’t look?” the older man questioned. 

“Not...exactly…” he trailed, unable to meet the older’s honey-brown eyes.

His uncle narrowed his eyes, and he felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Tobio suddenly felt naked under that suspicious gaze. It was as though his uncle, who he was convinced had inherited the psychic trait from one of their ancestors, knew exactly why he was so hesitant to show his songs.

And then he did that thing that Tobio hated. Where he would fold his hands together and lean forward, like he was interrogating him as though he were a criminal. 

“Oh, really?” Akihiro-san drawled, reaching a hand out towards him. Open, palms up and splayed. A silent order for him to hand over his songs. “Then give it to me.”

“...”

His uncle sighed, eyes soft. “Tobio. If you don’t want to, you can just tell me. I would never push you to do something you didn’t want to do.”

“It’s-it’s not that I don’t want to…” he said quickly, the rest of his sentence quickly dissolving into a mumble, “it’s just...embarrassing.”

“What was that?”

“It’s-it’s embarrassing!” he exclaimed.

His songs had never had any romantic connotations to them before. At least, he never wrote them with that intention. Now that he did, he knew how mortifying it was to write a song with romantic connotations—it was basically a confession for millions of people to hear.

“You’ve never felt embarrassed before,” his uncle remarked, surprise drawn all over his face.

“I am now!”

“I don’t need to see it if you don’t want to,” Akihiro-san offered.

“Um...no. It’s...fine. Just-give me a moment.”

He needed time to gather up the courage. Because despite his embarrassment, it was not as though he did  _ not  _ want to give the songs to his uncle. Quite the opposite, really. But again—mortifying.

Tobio breathed out deeply. Inhaled just as deep. And repeated the process twice. Thrice. Four, five, six times. Until he felt calm enough to tentatively hand the notebook over.

His uncle wore an immensely amused expression, but said nothing as he opened the book. Akihiro-san had to flip a few pages until he actually got to the songs, but he eventually got there.

The first song was the one he wrote after the two tried to apologize to him the first time. After much deliberation, he had decided to title it  _ Never Satisfied _ :

_ Every day, every night _

_ I’ve lived with this sickening feeling, festering inside _

_ Oh, how many tears have I cried? _

_ Months and years passed in the blink of an eye _

_ And now my tears have gone away _

~~_ Why did you come back so suddenly?  _ ~~ _ Just when my heart’s begun to heal _

~~_ When my heart had just begun to heal _ ~~ _ Why’d you have to come back in my life? _

~~_ The love I felt for you soon to be a distant memory _ ~~

_ Now it’s all rushing back _

_ Torturing me  _ _~~slowly beneath its weight~~ _ _ with twice its weight _

~~_ I’ve been crushed so heavily that I don’t if I’ll ever rise again _ ~~ _ Crushed so heavily, will I be alright again? _

_ Sometimes I wish I never met you _

_ Wish I had never known this pain _

_ Cause the marks on my body will never fade  _ ~~_ away _ ~~

_ And all I’m left with is this heartbreak _

_ Where have you been all this time? _

_ When I was slowly drowning in my mind? _

_ ~~I had never wanted to see you again~~ _ _ And now you, without regard, appear again _

_~~Forgetting you was all I wanted~~ _ _ Sorry’s falling so easily, I wonder if you’re just toying with me? _

~~_ But then you came back into my life  _ ~~ _ When the hurt had just began to wane _

_ Just how cruel can you be? _

_ Why can’t you understand? _

_ I don’t want your empty apology _

_ After the mess you made of  _ ~~_ my heart and soul _ ~~ _ me _

_ I’ll never be satisfied _

_ Until you’re out of my life _

And then there was  _ One Day _ , a song he had written immediately after confessing to Oikawa-san:

~~_ You broke me before  _ ~~ _ I promised to stay away _

~~_ Without any regard _ ~~ _ To keep my heart protected and safe _

~~_ Tore me apart _ ~~ _ Look for a better place _

~~_ Shattered to pieces, all alone _ ~~ _ No matter if I’m alone _

~~_ Pushed in the dark and left to roam _ ~~ _ No matter if I’m left to endlessly roam _

~~_ So why oh why darling _ ~~ _ But you found your way into my mind _

~~_ Am I feeling like this _ ~~ _ And I tried to run away and hide _

~~_ Why oh why, darling _ ~~ _ From your sweet words and loving gaze  _

_~~Does my heart race, every time I see your face?~~ _ _ From my skipping heart and blushing face _

~~_ Why oh why, darling _ ~~ _ And I tried so hard, to ignore _

~~_ Are you in my dreams, in my thoughts _ ~~ _ When you appear in my dreams _

~~_ Every moment of day and night _ ~~ _ To ignore that, maybe, there could be  _

_ A second chance for you and me _

_ But Darling, I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready  _

~~_ I don’t want to fall again _ ~~ _ Too much hurt and lingering pain _

~~_ I _ ~~ _~~’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready~~ _ _ Scabbed over scars from a still-bleeding heart _

_ ~~I don’t want to break again~~ _ _ Too many insecurities and constant doubts _

~~_ I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _ ~~ _ Broken trust and too-high walls _

~~_ I don’t want your heart no more _ ~~ _ Darling, I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready  _

~~_ I don’t want your love _ ~~ _ To try again and accept _

~~_ I don’t need it, that’s for sure _ ~~ _ Your heart _

_ So why oh why  _ ~~_ darling _ ~~ _ must you be so kind? _

~~_ Am I feeling like this _ ~~ _ Smile with so much joy and whisper such loving words _

~~_ Why oh why, darling _ ~~ _ Look at me with such sincerity _

_~~Am I a blushing mess, every time you look my way?~~ _ _ Why oh why must you make me waver so? _

~~_ Why oh why, darling _ ~~ _ Leave me blushing with every teasing joke and caressing touch _

~~_ Do I want your smiles and your laugh? _ ~~ _ Make me imagine a future with you in my arms _

~~_ The secret ones reserved just for me _ ~~

~~_ How _ ~~ _ I wish I  _ ~~_ can get rid of these feelings  _ ~~ _~~were~~ stronger to deny you _

~~_ How _ ~~ _ I wish  _ ~~_ I could pretend I’m not falling  _ ~~ _ you were a worse person than you were _

~~_ How I wish I could ignore my heart race _ ~~ _ It’d be so much easier to hate you then _

_~~How I wish I could ignore my crimson face~~ _ _ To convince myself these feelings are just a lie _

~~_ So why oh why, darling _ ~~ _ Darling, I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_~~Why oh why, darling~~ _ _ I’m not ready, i’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ To fall again _

_ To chance another broken heart _

_ And risk it all a second time _

_ To give you all of me _ ~~_ , heart and sou _ _ l _ ~~

_ Darling, I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ To accept your heart _

_ I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ No, I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ No, I’m not ready, I’m not ready, I’m not ready _

_ But maybe, one day, I’ll be _

And of course, there were other songs as well. But those two were the most emotional—embarrassing—of all of them.

Just imagining what he would do if Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san found out that Tobio wrote those lyrics about them had him wanting to bury himself in a hole and never come out.

“These are…quite different,” his uncle commented. The older man’s curious gaze made him want to die.

His cheeks were burning as he nodded.

“I think these would do quite well on the charts,” Akihiro-san praised.

He nodded.

“I’ll give them to producers this afternoon,” his uncle stated. “You can leave now, Tobio. Thank you for your work.”

Again, he nodded, rushing to the door. He felt like Akihiro-san saw too much. Knew too much. He had to  _ get the hell out of here _ .

Tobio stopped, though, the door halfway open, when his uncle spoke up again. “And Tobio? I expect to see whoever you wrote these songs about at dinner within a week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long time since I showed Tobio's songs. I actually had the second song ready since he confessed to Tooru, so I've been so impatient to write it into the story.
> 
> As you can see, the way I wrote the songs are really messy. I did it like that so it seems more real because, let's be serious, I doubt songs are written perfectly the first time around. I think the messiness emphasizes how much work Tobio puts into his songs.
> 
> I know it might be hard to read, so tell me in the comments if you want a chapter where I write the finished lyrics. 
> 
> Tobio being caught by his uncle through his lyrics to me. And the fact that he has to have his soulmates go to dinner with his family now...
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.


	125. Chapter One-Hundred Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his last day, Tobio found himself fidgeting outside the gates of Aoba Johsai, waiting for his soulmates’ afternoon practice to end. He figured that walking back with them to Oikawa-san’s house would give him the nerve to finally ask them.

“Aren’t you going to tell them?” Kentarou asked him, voice dripping with amusement. He could practically hear the snicker in the older boy’s words—Tobio wanted to punch him.

“No,” he sulked, head buried in his knee and arms wrapped around his legs.

It had been five days since Akihiro-san gave him that... _ request _ , and he had yet to mention anything about it to either of his soulmates. And he had tried to talk to them, but the words ended up dying in his throat every time.

Now he had two more days to tell them before he would reach the deadline his uncle had set. And by then, Tobio  _ knew _ his uncle would just show up at his school, interrogate every student until he found out who Tobio’s soulmates were, and drag them home himself—He would prefer  _ not _ to be embarrassed by his uncle, thank you very much.

“What’s the problem, anyways?” his cousin questioned. “‘S just a dinner, you know?”

“It’s not ‘ _ just a dinner, _ ’” he groused, scowling. “They don’t even know that I met my soulmates yet, much less them having rejected me before.”

And he would rather not be the one to tell them that. Tobio could already feel the shivers crawling down his spine at their reactions now. His aunt’s sweet, sweet, threatening smile. His uncle, deceptively stone-faced and the subtle narrowing of his eyes.

He did not want his soulmates dead when he had just realized he liked them.

“Don’t tell them then,” Kentarou suggested.

“And how, exactly, do you expect  _ me _ to pull that off?” Tobio questioned, arching a brow at the absurdity of the words. “Mizuki-san laughed in my face the last time I tried to lie to her.”

His aunt only had to put her hands on her hips and stare at him before Tobio was confessing everything. And that had been when he only stole some of her candy to eat. He could not even begin to imagine how he could lie about something as serious as his soulmates rejecting him and asking him for forgiveness.

His cousin shrugged, nonchalant and completely relaxed. “Then I don’t know. It’s your problem, not mine,” the bastard said carelessly—Tobio wondered if he would get in trouble if he raked his nails down the asshole’s face.

“Thanks for the help,” he growled, glaring witheringly at the older boy.

The fucking bastard smirked. “My pleasure.”

“Goddamned jerk,” Tobio snarled, launching himself and tackling his cousin.

“GET OFF OF ME!”

♚♚♚

On his last day, Tobio found himself fidgeting outside the gates of Aoba Johsai, waiting for his soulmates’ afternoon practice to end. He figured that walking back with them to Oikawa-san’s house would give him the nerve to  _ finally _ ask them.

He was planning out how he was going to say it when he felt hands on his waist, pulling him into a strong chest. His first instinct was to tense up.

“Were you waiting for me?” Mattsun-san purred in his ear, eliciting a shiver from him. He did, however, relax when he realized who it was.

“Good evening, Mattsun-san,” he greeted politely, having gotten used to the upperclassman’s tendency to invade his personal space. “And I apologize, but I was not waiting for you.”

“Boo, you’re no fun,” the middle blocker whined.

“Oi, Matsukawa!” he heard Iwaizumi-san bark. “Let go of him, you bastard!”

A sigh tickled his neck as Mattsun-san grumbled, “Looks like the guard dog’s here.”

Guard dog? Was he talking about Iwaizumi-san? “Iwaizumi-san is human, Mattsun-san,” he informed the other boy. 

Before he got the chance to respond, however, Mattsun-san was yanked away from him. The hands at his waist were replaced by a pair of arms wrapping around his torso. A head came to rest on his shoulder.

“Ugh. Mattsun’s defiled you with his dirty hands, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san groaned.

“Hey! My hands aren’t dirty!”

Ignoring him, Iwaizumi-san took his hand and led him away from the school gates, Oikawa-san quickly letting go of his waist to grab his other hand.

Overwhelmed by everything that had just happened, Tobio could only follow them as the two guided him in the direction of Oikawa-san’s house.

“So is there a reason you waited for us at the gates today, Tobio-chan?” the setter asked, swinging their joined hands back and forth.

“Um…”

Right. He had forgotten. He needed to tell them about his uncle’s order.

Breathing in deeply, he tried to gather enough courage to ask.

  
It was just a question, he told himself. Just a few words strung together in a sentence. He could do this. He could do this. He could do this.

He breathed out just as deeply.

He could do this. He could do this. He could do this.

Another deep breath in.

Or maybe not. It was getting  _ really _ hard for him to think.

Another deep breath out.

“—bio. Tobio!” Iwaizumi-san yelled, gripping him by the shoulders.

He blinked, surprised, and looked at the spiker in confusion.

“We felt your nervousness through the bond,” the older boy explained. “Is everything okay?”

And he knew then that if he did not say it now, he might never say it. So, in one breath, he blurted, “Myunclewantstoseeyouatdinner!”

“What?” Oikawa-san asked, chuckling a bit. “Can you repeat that, Tobio-chan? Slower this time.”

“My uncle...w-wants to see you...at dinner,” he mumbled.

“Oh,” the setter said. “That’s not so bad.”

“I...haven’t told them about the rejection. Or the fact that I met my soulmates at all,” Tobio continued.

“Oh.” Iwaizumi-san this time. “That’s really bad.”

“Yeah,” he agreed weakly, his grip on their hands tight.

Through their bond, he began to feel their own worry and nervousness as it began to build. It only served to amplify his own worry.

What if they did not want to go?

What if they refused?   
  
What was he going to do then?

He did  _ not _ want his uncle coming to his school to stalk his soulmates. He would rather gouge out his eyeballs with a spoon than allow such a mortifying prospect to happen. Or worse, his uncle was going to send Tadaaki-san. And then his attendant was going to threaten his soulmates until they agreed!

What if—

“Okay,” Oikawa-san said.

“What?” Tobio questioned, dumbfounded.

“Okay,” the setter repeated. “We’ll go.”

“You will.”

Iwaizumi-san nodded. “It’s important to you, isn’t it? Besides, we need to explain the situation to your family ourselves if we seriously want you to accept us as your soulmates.”

A bit disbelieving, all he could was nod. “Then...I guess...I’ll see you Sunday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Next one will be in Tooru's perspective.


	126. Chapter One-Hundred Ten: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you sick or something, Kyouken-chan?” was the immediate question he asked when he answered the call. Could anyone really blame him, though? Kyouken-chan had called Tooru.
> 
> “I’ll send you to hell, you flighty bastard,” was the growled response.
> 
> “Flighty?” he squawked, a bit offended at the insult. He was flirtatious, sure, but was definitely not flighty. “Did you call just to insult me?”
> 
> “Okaa-san wants you to come over now. Iwaizumi-san, too,” the second-year informed him.

Sunday came earlier than he would have liked. And though he tried to play it cool, knowing how anxious Tobio already was about the situation, he could not help the occasional worry that slipped through the bond in the days leading up to it.

Because of course he was nervous. He was meeting his soulmate’s aunt and uncle—people who might as well be called his parents! Not to mention, he was certain that their opinions of Tooru and Hajime would be less than pleasant after the meeting.

His younger soulmate had mentioned that he had never told them about the rejection. Had offered to keep it a secret—which would have been impossible, frankly, with how awful the raven-haired boy was at lying—However, both of them had declined. 

They might have been an immature brat in junior high, but they were eighteen years old now. He had to take responsibility for the hurt and pain he caused Tobio. Even if that meant the younger boy’s parents would hate them for the rest of their lives.

Plus, he did not think it was fair to Tobio’s aunt and uncle to be kept in the dark about this. They deserved to know if he and Hajime were going to be serious about Tobio. And they were going to be. Serious, that is.

When the day actually came, though, he found himself spiking with nerves. All of his thoughts became a jumbled mess as he tried to figure out... _everything._

How was he supposed to act in front of them? He did not think acting as he usually did in front of adults—in other words, bright and flamboyant and charming—was going to work. In fact, it might backfire considering these were the people who raised _Tobio._ Tobio, who would sooner die than be impressed when he acted like that.

What was he going to wear? Tobio said his uncle wanted to meet them, but was it supposed to be a casual or formal situation? It would be embarrassing if he was underdressed. Or overdressed. It would be embarrassing if he was not dressed to perfection.

And what was he going to _say_ ? He could not just upright tell them that they were the soulmates of their nephew, who they had _rejected_. It was unlikely that they would take kindly to that.

In the midst of the storm brewing in his mind, a call from _Kyouken-chan_ , of all people, did not help in the least.

“Are you sick or something, Kyouken-chan?” was the immediate question he asked when he answered the call. Could anyone really blame him, though? _Kyouken-chan_ had called _Tooru_.

“I’ll send you to hell, you flighty bastard,” was the growled response.

“Flighty?” he squawked, a bit offended at the insult. He was flirtatious, sure, but was _definitely not_ flighty. “Did you call just to insult me?”   
  


“Okaa-san wants you to come over now. Iwaizumi-san, too,” the second-year informed him.

“What?” he breathed, hoping he heard that wrong.

“Okaa-san wants you two to come over. In, like, twenty minutes,” Kyoutani repeated.

“Are you kidding me?”

“No. See you then,” and Tooru heard the snicker in his voice as he said so. A click a second later, he decided that the second-year would be running extra laps at practice on Tuesday.

A moment passed. Two. Three. As he sat there, staring at nothing, trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. Frozen in time.

And then, time returned to normal. A million thoughts flew through his head as he frantically called Hajime, heart beating loudly in his ears. 

“Tooru? What’s wrong? Why’re you so panicked?” 

“Tobio’sauntwantsusattheirhouseintwentyminutes,” he blurted.

“Wha—repeat that?”

“Tobio’s aunt wants us at their house in twenty minutes,” he said again, still fast but slow enough to be understandable.

“WHAT?”

♔♔♔

Both of them were sweating and panting by the time they arrived at the Kyoutani household. It was possible that they were a few minutes later than the time slot they were given, but that did not seem to matter much when both of them were trying to catch their breaths from running there.

“You ring the doorbell, Iwa-chan,” he ordered his soulmate, unwilling to do it himself.

“No way, Shittykawa!” Hajime exclaimed. “Kyoutani called you, so you do it!”

“I don’t want to,” he whined.

“Well, you’re going to have to!” his soulmate stated, pushing him towards the door.

Mortified, he tried to resist by planting his feet on the ground. Unfortunately for him, Hajime was stronger and his shoes did not have much traction. He ended up face to face with a door.

“Just press the damned button,” Hajime hissed.

He wanted to protest, but the glare the other boy was sending him made him think otherwise. So, with his arm shaking, he used his pointer finger to press the doorbell, taking a step back to wait for the door to open.

Only a few seconds later, they were met with Kyoutani, his usual scowl in place. “Took you long enough,” the younger boy grunted. Yep. Tooru was definitely making him run extra laps at practice.

“Is that them, Kentarou?” a pleasant, soft voice called from somewhere in the house. 

“It is, Okaa-san!” Kyoutani yelled back, opening the door wider and stepping aside to allow them in. 

“Where’s Tobio-chan, Kyouken-chan?” Tooru asked immediately, wanting to see his younger soulmate. 

His and Hajime’s piano lessons with Tobio only took place on the weekends. So it was a rare occurrence for them to see the ocean-eyed boy on Saturday or Sunday. The only time they ever did so was when they had their date that one time, which reminded him—they needed to arrange more dates with Tobio.

“Dead to the world,” was the answer. 

“He’s sleeping?” Hajime questioned. “It’s almost 3:00 pm!”

Kyoutani gave them a blank stare. “What’s your point?”

Neither of them had any reply to that, and Tooru remembered the last time he visited the pianist’s apartment. He had been asleep then, too, despite it being only 6:00 pm. And he had been incredibly grumpy—in other words, adorable—when he answered the intercom.

“Shouldn’t you wake him up?” Tooru said instead. He did not think it was healthy to be sleeping in so late, regardless of it being a weekend or not.

“Unless you want to end up dead, no.”

A shiver crawled down his spine at the unusually serious tone, but before he could say anything else, a woman was coming down the stairs. She was petite with warm, mid-length chestnut hair and delicate features. Her brown eyes were warm and gentle smile graced her lips.

Immediately, Tooru recognized her as Kyoutani’s mother. Both he and Hajime bowed politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kyoutani-san.”

“Oh, no need to be so formal,” Kyoutani-san laughed lightly, waving away their greetings. “You can just call me Mizuki.”

Tooru blinked, suddenly doubtful. “You _are_ Kyouken-chan’s mother, right?”

Hajime elbowed him slightly in the side, shooting him a pointed look of warning. _Behave_ , was what it seemed to be conveying.

“Kyouken-chan?” the woman questioned, eyes drifting to her son, who was now scowling deeply. Suddenly, she bursted into laughter. “I’ve never heard such a fitting nickname for Kentarou.”

“It’s an _annoying_ nickname,” Kyoutani snarled.

Mizuki-san ignored her son, turning back to him and Hajime. “To answer your question, I am Kentarou’s mother. Don’t worry, though, you’re not the first to ask.”

“That’s not something you should be proud of,” the second-year barked.

Again, she ignored him, gesturing for Hajime and Tooru to come sit on the couch beside her. As they had been standing at the entrance quite awkwardly, they did not hesitate to go over.

“You two are a lot more attractive than I imagined,” Mizuki-san complimented.

And, despite being told that countless times by countless people, Tooru, for some reason, blushed. “Thank you,” he murmured.

Kyoutani snorted, earning a glare from his mother. “Go to your room, Kentarou,” she ordered. 

“Wha—”

“Go to your room,” she interrupted, tone making it clear she would not allow objections. Kyoutani, surprisingly, only grumbled a bit before stalking upstairs and out of sight.

And it was strange. So strange, to see the wing spiker being so meek. 

He did not know what he expected, but he figured Kyoutani never listened to _anyone_. Not even his mother. So it was surprising to see him behaving so obediently. He supposed that the younger boy acted differently at home. Or, Mizauki-san was just so scary that even Kyoutani listened.

Tooru hoped it was the former and not the latter.

“Um, why did you tell us to come over so early?” Hajime asked. “Tobio told us that the dinner would be tonight.”

“It is,” the petite woman confirmed. “But I wanted to talk to you two before then. Tobio is stubborn, as I’m sure you know, and refuses to tell me anything. All I know are your names.”

He could not help the smile that bloomed on his lips at the mention of Tobio. And he could not help but agree wholeheartedly about the younger boy being stubborn. It was infuriating sometimes, but incredibly endearing as well.

“That...might be my fault,” Tooru admitted softly.

“It’s both of our faults,” Hajime corrected immediately.

“Oh? How so?” Mizuki-san asked, a tilt to the head. Absentmindedly, he thought that that might be where Tobio got his habit of tilting his head from.

And it was so hard to say it now that he recognized aspects of Tobio in his aunt. It suddenly felt like they were back in the cafe, where he and Hajime apologized for... _everything_. He was suddenly confronted once more with the cold, shuddered expression his younger soulmate had on when they asked for his forgiveness.

His throat burned as he started to explain, “When we were in junior high, I was really jealous of Tobio-chan. I was insecure about my own abilities as a setter and took it out on him because I thought he was a genius. When we found out the three of us were soulmates, we...rejected him.”

Mizuki-san was frowning now, brows creased. “He...never told us any of this.”

Tooru flinched as he imagined Tobio dealing with the rejection, keeping everything bottled in and not telling himself. Guilt consumed him again, amplified by Hajime’s own.

“Tobio...doesn’t like to make people worry about him,” Hajime stated. 

“I’m his aunt. Practically his mother!” Mizuki-san said, tears beginning to line her eyes. “It’s my job to worry about him.”

And then, Tooru tensed, not sure how to deal with this. He had not intended to make her cry and did not know how to comfort her.

“Tobio-chan talks about you like you’re his mother,” he told her as gently as he could. “And-and he’s sensitive. He might’ve not wanted you to be disappointed in him.”

“I would never be disappointed in him,” she said, regaining a bit of her calm. Her voice was still a bit shaky, but tears were no longer threatening to fall.

“I’m sure he understands that,” Hajime assured her. “But, like you said, he’s stubborn.” The spiky-haired boy smiled then. A bright grin that lit up his face. “When he realized he liked us, Tobio avoided us for two weeks until Tooru confronted him.”

“And even that took a lot of convincing before he finally confessed,” Tooru supplied, hoping to cheer her up.

She gave out a wet laugh. “That sounds like him. He’s always been antisocial and bad at feelings.”

“Um...You’re not upset that we re-rejected Tobio-chan?” 

Mizuki-san gave him a pointed look that had him straightening in his seat. “Of course I’m upset,” she said, scowling—another thing that reminded him so much of the raven-haired boy. “Tobio’s awkward and comes off as rude sometimes, but he doesn’t deserve to be rejected.”

“Right,” Tooru agreed, Hajime nodding along.

“And if I had known about all this before, I would’ve never allowed you two to come anywhere near him again,” she hissed.

Both of them flinched, paling at the murderous look in her eyes.

“ _But_ ,” she stressed, still scowling and a reluctant tone in her voice. “I support Tobio’s decisions and trust his judgment. If he wants to forgive you, then I have no right to say otherwise. And,” Mizuki-san sighed, her tone begrudging, “you two aren’t all that bad. Tobio could do a lot worse.”

It was more an insult than a compliment, but Tooru found himself smiling. It was approval—very, _very_ reluctant approval, but approval nonetheless.

“If you hurt him again, though,” Mizuki-san continued, “I’ll kill the both of you myself. Understand?”

Both of them nodded quickly, knowing just how serious she was with her threat.

“Well, we’ve got some time before dinner. And I doubt Tobio is going to wake up anytime soon,” she said, a bright smile returned to her lips. “Would you two like to look at some of his childhood photos?”

Tooru would be a fool to decline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So they earned Mizuki's approval. All they need now is Akihiro, Kentarou, and Tadaaki. Easy peasy.
> 
> I could totally see Tobio's family going behind his back to talk to his soulmates! 
> 
> I definitely do not envy Tooru and Hajime these next few chapters. They're going to get threatened so much!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one will be in Hajime's perspective.


	127. Chapter One-Hundred Eleven: Hajime's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t like you two,” Akihiro-san declared, arms crossed and fixating them with a hard gaze.
> 
> Both he and Tooru visibly flinched at the cold tone.
> 
> He could, without a doubt, understand how he was the CEO of one of the best entertainment companies in the county. The pressure the man exuded was suffocating. So much so that Hajime could not even find the courage to look him in the eyes.

Wide, ocean-blue eyes stared up at him, framed by long, thick eyelashes and complimented by a head of soft, silky raven hair. An innocent grin stretched across pink lips, brightening a milky-white complexion and emphasizing chubby cheeks.

If someone were to tell Hajime he was looking at an image of an angel, he would definitely believe them. Because nothing less than _angelic_ could be used to describe Tobio as a child.

And it seemed he was not the only one with that opinion. Listening to Mizuki-san, it seemed many people were inclined to agree.

“I used to bring him along with me to work sometimes,” the Kyoutani mother told them. “All of my employees adored him. Especially the older women. They had a treat ready for him every time.”

Hajime tried to imagine it: A group of women swarming around an eight-year-old Tobio, doting on the young boy and him responding with enthusiasm as he took every treat.

It brought a smile to his lips.

“And I took Tobio with me to the market, too,” Mizuki-san continued. “He knew exactly how to work those puppy dog eyes of his. He also knew how to cry on command, too. So whenever he wanted something, all he needed to do was turn on the waterworks and the sellers would give it to him for free.”

“He can cry on command?” Tooru asked.

Their soulmate’s aunt nodded. “I don’t know when he learned, but he’s been able to since he was nine.”

The setter gave him a sideways glance, an unnerved look that Hajime was inclined to agree with. If their soulmate ever used that ability on them, he had no idea how they would ever be able to deny him anything.

“I bet he used that to get Kyoutani in trouble,” he assumed, to which Mizuki-san quickly agreed.

“The first few times he did it, my husband and I had no idea what was wrong. All we knew was that Tobio was crying and that Kentarou had been arguing with him. Believe it or not, Kentarou’s actually calmed down a bit since entering high school, so you can imagine what he was like.”

“What did you do once you found out?” Tooru inquired, amusement flowing through their bond.

“We punished him, of course! He was grounded for a month. Tobio tried to get out of it by crying again, but we knew better by then.”

Hajime chuckled, completely believing the story. He remembered the time when Kyoutani came to school with pink hair and how the raven-haired boy acted so terrified that Hajime had wanted to headbutt the second-year—god, that felt like a lifetime ago despite only being a few months.

He flipped through the album Mizuki-san had handed them earlier, absorbing every image of Tobio as a child and committing it to memory.

He had grown up together with Tooru, so there had never been any mysteries of their childhoods. It was a different matter with Tobio, who they had met in junior high. Their knowledge of the blue-eyed boy was practically nonexistent, so it was nice to hear about and see how he was as a child.

“Mizuki-san,” a voice he immediately recognized as Tobio’s called from upstairs. “Are there any snacks I can eat for breakfast?”

His lips automatically pulled into a smile. It was clear from the way he slurred his words that the younger boy was still sleepy, and he could picture the adorable way Tobio was rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

“It’s 5:00 in the afternoon, Tobio,” Mizuki-san yelled back. “What breakfast are you talking about?”

“Breakfast is breakfast,” was the response, the voice clearer and louder now. “What are _you_ talking about?”

It was only a few seconds later when his soulmate appeared at the top of the stairs, mouth open in a yawn. Shirtless.

Hajime forced himself to breathe. To act normally. He forced himself to remember that Tobio’s _aunt_ was in the room. An aunt, who was practically his mother. An aunt, who would most definitely _not_ appreciate him eye-fucking the younger boy.

Worse, he noticed the soulmark etched across Tobio’s skin. He immediately recognized it as Tooru’s—a blossom of carnations on the right side of his body, dyed various shades of red, pink, and white. He knew, because the same mark decorated his left hip.

And with the way the younger bow was currently positioned, he could catch a glimpse of his own soulmark on Tobio’ back. On the left side, just above the hips. The wolf he had seen numerous times on Tooru’s stomach.

_Fuck._

_Shit._

Hajime had never seen those marks on Tobio before. Seeing them now, tattooed across ivory skin, did... _things_ to him. Things that should not be happening in his soulmate’s home.

It became easier when he registered the shock rushing through their bond in waves. When he saw how rigid Tobio had become as he stared at them, wide-eyed and gaping.

And only a second later, a flush overtook his face, dying it a pretty crimson color as he felt the pang of embarrassment through the bond. Tobio whipped around, speed-walking back to where he came from and yelling, “Why didn’t you tell me they were here?”

Hajime heard a muffled answer, presumably Kyoutani.

“Oh, fuck you!” Tobio shouted.

“Language, Tobio!” Mizuki-san screamed.

“Wait. Did-did Tobio-chan not know we were coming earlier?” Tooru asked.

Kyoutani’s mother smiled prettily. “If he did, you two wouldn’t even be here. He was pretty adamant about us meeting you with him present.”

“ _Obviously_ ,” said boy growled, stomping downstairs with a scowl etched on his lips. “And yet, you went behind my back and did it anyway!”

“You’re being dramatic, Tobio,” his aunt chided him, only serving to deepen the scowl on his face.

Tobio grumbled something under his breath—probably curses—before plopping down on the couch beside Hajime, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

“Stop sulking,” Mizuki-san ordered. “Your soulmates and I had a great time with each other.”

“I’m never going to trust you ever again,” was the irate response, to which the older woman only rolled her eyes.

“Now that Tobio’s awake, I’m going to get started on dinner,” Mizuki-san announced. “I’m counting on you boys to get him to stop sulking.”

She shot a pointed look at her nephew before standing up to walk to the kitchen. Tobio pointedly ignored her, continuing to glare at the floor, a pout on his lips and arms still crossed.

A smile broke across his face, staring at his grumpy soulmate. Hajime placated him, “Don’t be upset, Tobio. We had a great time with your aunt.”

“I’m sure you had a great time looking at all of those embarrassing pictures of me,” came the disgruntled reply, a pretty, little blush tinting his cheeks.

Hajime could not help but reach over, picking Tobio up and placing the younger boy on his lap. He wrapped his arms around the ravenette’s waist, nuzzling the younger’s nape. His smile widened as Tobio relaxed in his hold.

“They aren’t embarrassing, Tobio-chan,” Tooru cooed, petting the blue-eyed boy’s head. The setter had moved closer so that he was now pressing into Hajime’s arms. “You were so cute as a child. Still are, in fact.”

“I’m not cute,” was the clipped retort.

“That’s not very convincing when you’re pouting, Tobio-chan.”

“Shut up,” the younger boy said weakly.

It was clear that Tobio was no longer upset—he had not been very upset, to begin with—and there was a clear chord of amusement traveling through the bond from his end. 

“You pouted like that when you were younger, too, Tobio-chan,” Tooru continued. “Like in this picture right here.”

The setter held up a picture of a little Tobio pouting as he shoved a spoon of pork curry into his mouth. His big eyes were red-rimmed and there were streaks of tears on his cheeks. It was both adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.

A wave of irritation and he knew his youngest soulmate was scowling. “That was Kentarou’s fault. Damned asshole pretended to drown in a lake.”

“And you cried?” Hajime teased.

“You would’ve, too, if you thought your cousin drowned!”

“What about this one?” Tooru asked, pointing to another picture.

And that went on like that for who-knew-how long, but Hajime found himself smiling so much his cheeks hurt. Because he was here, in the home his soulmate grew up in, with Tobio sitting in his lap and explaining every picture his other soulmate asked about. 

⚔️⚔️⚔️

“I don’t like you two,” Akihiro-san declared, arms crossed and fixating them with a hard gaze.

Both he and Tooru visibly flinched at the cold tone.

He could, without a doubt, understand how he was the CEO of one of the best entertainment companies in the county. The pressure the man exuded was suffocating. So much so that Hajime could not even find the courage to look him in the eyes.

How did he end up in the person’s office again?

All he knew was that when Akihiro-san entered the house, caught sight of Tobio in his lap, his expression had turned utterly calm, void of emotion.

And the next thing he knew, he and Tooru were kneeling in a seiza position in Akihiro-san’s office as their soulmate’s uncle loomed over them menacingly.

“Now, I trust Tobio and his judgment, but who’s to say two aren’t tricking him somehow?” the CEO drawled. “He can be quite naive, sometimes.”

Both of them were intelligent. So they, wisely, did not dare to utter a peep as the man began to walk in circles around them.

“From my understanding, Oikawa-kun,” Akihiro-san continued, causing Tooru to flinch. Hard, “you seem to have girls fighting over you left and right. Who knows if you’re just toying with my dear nephew. You _better_ not be toying with him.”

“I-I would never!” Tooru stammered out, fear and anxiety crawling through his end of the bond.

Their soulmate’s uncle ignored the setter completely, continuing to circle them. Like a lion about to strike its prey.

“And, Iwaizumi-kun, it has come to my attention that you once stole another child’s toy. Do you expect me to trust my nephew with a thief?”

_How the hell_ —that had been in fifth grade! Over six years ago! Why does this man know this?

Hajime was utterly terrified.

“And it’s quite obvious that _something_ had happened between the three of you, seeing how neither I nor my wife have heard Tobio talking about you. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me?”

Both of them remain silent.

“Answer my question,” the CEO commanded. Softly. Coldly. He might as well have threatened them with murder.

“We—I...rejected him...sir,” Hajime said weakly, terror spiking.

He was dead. He was _so dead_.

Akihiro-san stopped his walking, and he could feel the older man’s stare piercing into them. Into their souls. “You...rejected...Tobio?” he repeated quietly. Dangerously. “Did I hear that right?”

“Y-yes, sir,” Tooru confirmed, paler than a ghost.

“So you are toying with him.”  
  


“Not at all, sir!” Hajime protested loudly. “We-we realized how stupid we were and wanted to make it up to him.”

“Are you equating rejection to a simple mistake?”

“N-no!” Tooru yelled.

Hajime was suddenly aware of the fact that all the exits were blocked, and that they had no way of escape if this man decided he really was going to murder them. 

“Then what’s your intention with my nephew?” Akihiro-san demanded.

“We want to be his soulmates! Properly!” Hajime answered, the words coming out of his mouth easily. It had been what they wanted ever since they apologized to the raven-haired boy at the cafe. Much earlier than that, actually.

“And what makes you think you have any right to ask that after rejecting him?” The older man’s shadow was now covering the source of light from the ceiling. In response, Hajime and Tooru kept their gaze planted firmly on the ground.

“We have none!” Tooru stated. “But! We want him in our lives. We...care about Tobio-chan?”

“Tobio-chan?”

“Tobio!” the setter corrected immediately.

Akihiro-san only hummed, walking around them in circles again. It was not relieving the least, only serving to drive up their fear even more.

“Frankly, I—” the CEO began.

“Akihiro-san!” Tobio called from outside the door. “Dinner’s done so stop threatening my soulmates! I can feel their fear through our bond!”

“Stand up,” their soulmate’s ordered, to which they both immediately scrambled to obey. 

If their legs were shaky from sitting in a seiza position for so long, both of them stubbornly ignored the fact and remained upright.

Once both of them were standing, Akihiro-san opened the door with a flourish, his back towards them. “I wasn’t threatening them, Tobio,” the older man said, tone light and chuckle in his voice. “We were just having a friendly conversation. Right?”

Neither of them were stupid enough to disagree, nodding furiously.

“Uh-huh,” Tobio replied, tone wholly unconvinced. “Well, Mizuki-san said that you won’t get any dinner if you don’t hurry up.”

“Alright, alright,” Akihiro-san responded brightly. Hajime and Tooru tensed when he turned around, flinching when a hand was placed on their shoulders. “I look forward to getting to know you boys better.”

“You, too, sir,” they mumbled.

Shivers ran down their spines, blood freezing as the older man leaned in, whispering so lowly that there was no way Tobio could know what he was saying. “Frankly, I would’ve skinned the two of you alive and buried you six feet under if I had the choice. But since Tobio would be upset if you died, I’ll keep you two alive. For now.”

And then, he turned around and walked out of the door. Completely normal. As though he had _not_ just threatened them into statues.

“Are you guys alright?” Tobio asked, walking towards. “He didn’t say anything weird, did he?”

In a heartbeat, both of them had the younger boy in their arms. Tooru muttering, “You’re an angel, Tobio-chan. An angel. An absolute angel sent from heaven.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...that went well 🙃. 
> 
> I had debated whether I should've divided this into two separate chapter, but I was like...nah. I'll give you guys the fluff and make you let down your guard, and then I'd hit you with that tension like BAM!
> 
> Akihiro may or may not have had them investigated, who knows really 🤷? 
> 
> But I think we can all agree that Tobio is, in fact, an angel.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I had so much fun writing how scared Tooru and Hajime were.


	128. Chapter One-Hundred Twelve: Tooru's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m just having a hard time deciding what to eat, Tobio-chan,” he replied, fake cheer coating his voice and smile strained.
> 
> He suspected it had something to do with the man seated on his other side, who so happened to be Tobio’s attendant and an ex-mafia member. It had taken only a second into their introduction and Tadaaki-san had already been threatening them, “Hurt him again, and I’ll shatter all the bones in your body before burning you alive.” An iron-gripped, bone-fracturing handshake to accompany the threat.

Barely a minute into dinner and he was once again struck by the notion of how angelic his younger soulmate was. Heaven-sent, really, and he would thank whatever deity above—regardless of the fact that he was atheist—for gifting them with such an angel.

“Are you not going to eat, Oikawa-san?” the blue-eyed boy asked, seated between him and Hajime. His head was tilted innocently to the side, confusion glimmering in his eyes and through the bond, as he gazed questioningly at Tooru. Completely oblivious to the death glares and murderous directed at him and Hajime. “Not hungry?”

“I’m just having a hard time deciding what to eat, Tobio-chan,” he replied, fake cheer coating his voice and smile strained.

He suspected it had something to do with the man seated on his other side, who so happened to be Tobio’s attendant and an  _ ex-mafia member _ . It had taken only a second into their introduction and Tadaaki-san had already been threatening them, “Hurt him again, and I’ll shatter all the bones in your body before burning you alive.” An iron-gripped, bone-fracturing handshake to accompany the threat.

Tooru did not know who to pity more. Himself, for having to seat next to this deceptively smiling man. Or Hajime, for having to sit next to their youngest soulmate’s uncle.

Honestly, Tobio was the only reason either of them were still  _ somewhat _ enjoying themselves.

“Don’t mind him, Tobio-sama,” Tadaaki-san said, voice gentle and warm. It had his blood freezing. “I’ll make sure he eats enough to cry. Just pay attention to yourself.”

And then Tobio narrowed his eyes slightly, suspicious, before shrugging and returning his attention to his own bowl of food. 

“So, Oikawa-kun,” the older man drawled, “I hear that you and Iwaizumi-kun play volleyball?”

“Um...yes, sir,” he answered hesitantly, inwardly cringing as mushroom after mushroom was dropped into his bowl. Tooru absolutely abhorred mushrooms, the texture and taste making him sick anytime he ate them—something he  _ knew  _ the attendant knew, which was no doubt why Tadaaki-san was doing it to begin with.

“Captain and vice-captain, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Aoba Johsai has a good team, too, if I’m not wrong.”

“We’re one of the top four teams in the prefecture.”

“But if I recall correctly, you’ve never made it to Nationals once during your high school career.”

His brow twitched, and fought down the overwhelming urge to rake his nails down the man’s face. It was  _ infuriating _ to see the smug expression and victorious smirk, the attendant knowing full-well that his comment struck a nerve in Tooru.

_ Breathe _ , he ordered himself.  _ Calm down _ .

“Shiratorizawa has represented Miyagi all three years,” he agreed, biting back curses. Because Tooru was intelligent enough to know how  _ not _ to curse someone in front of Tobio’s family. More importantly, he was intelligent enough to know not to curse someone Tobio  _ cared about and loved _ .

“Isn’t that the school Eita Semi goes to?” Tadaaki-san continued. “You’re quite close to him, aren’t you, Tobio-sama?”

_ Breathe _ , he screamed.  _ Deep breath in, deep breath out _ .

He was  _ not _ going to throw a tantrum. 

At the mention of his name, Tobio turned to face them, mouth twisting into a scowl. “Gross. Like hell I’m close to that asshole.”

“Tobio!” Mizuki-san scolded.

“You’re being weird, Tadaaki-san,” the raven-haired stated, going back to eating and ignoring all the conversations around him.

“Are you familiar with Semi-kun, Oikawa-kun?” the attendant questioned, smiling.

He gritted his teeth, reigning in the utter irritation threatening to consume him. “I am familiar with him, yes.”   
  


“Yes, well, Tobio-sama has been spending a lot of time with him lately,” the man informed him. “Although, I’m sure you’re already aware of that.”

_ No, he was not aware of that _ . But Tooru would sooner cut his tongue than admit it to this person.

Even when the bite of jealousy nipped at his heart, he refused to acknowledge it—Later. He would deal with  _ that  _ later. When he was not forced to deal with a grown man hell-bent on driving Tooru to the brink of insanity.

“Semi is a great player. I’m sure he’s just as great a violinist if Tobio-chan likes playing with him so much,” he responded cordially.

The man’s grin turned sharp. Dangerous. “I can’t say Tobio-sama liked playing with you two very much, though. In junior high, that is.”

And it took all of his will and effort, to  _ not _ flinch and remain passive. Calm. Any hint of a reaction erased from his expression.

He remained silent.

Because he had no retort. Neither he nor Hajime had acted anywhere near proper upperclassmen for Tobio. Tooru, especially. Most of his time in the volleyball club had been spent ignoring his younger soulmate or mocking him about...something or the other.

Frankly, he was probably the luckiest fucking person on Earth that Tobio chose to forgive him, much less  _ like  _ him. 

Tadaaki-san left him alone for the rest of the dinner.

♔♔♔

“Your family loves you a lot, Tobio,” Tooru stated, draping himself over the younger boy’s shoulders and nuzzling his hair.

He was surprised they even allowed him and Hajime to escort the blue-eyed boy back to his apartment—however, Akihiro-san had spat nearly a thousand threats of, “If you even  _ think _ about doing anything to him…”

Tobio nodded, agreeing, and he felt a happy thrum thrum through their bond.

_ So cute _ , Tooru thought. He gave his younger soulmate a squeeze with his arms, enjoying the blush coloring his ears.

Hajime watched the scene fondly, holding one of Tobio’s hands tightly in his own. “I definitely don’t want to be alone in the same room as your uncle and attendant, that’s for sure.”

“They’re overprotective,” was the younger boy’s response. “They wouldn’t kill you...I think.”

Tooru huffed out a chuckle, nuzzling his nose into the crook of his soulmate’s neck and enjoying the shiver it elicited from him. “That’s not very reassuring, Tobio-chan.”

But he was glad—even if he was sure none of them would hesitate to murder him and Hajime if they hurt Tobio again. It was good that Tobio had people to care about him, something they had failed to do. It was good that Tobio had someone to rely on.

Since neither of them had been able to do that for him so far.

“I only told Tadaaki-san about the rejection,” their youngest stated. “And Kentarou only a few months ago. My aunt and uncle didn’t know until today.”

“That explains why your attendant was so hell-bent on making Tooru miserable,” Hajime laughed. “I thought Shittykawa was about to throw up with how much mushrooms were piled onto his bowl.”

“You don’t like mushrooms, Oikawa?” He could hear the amusement in the younger’s voice.

“How does your attendant even  _ know  _ that?” Tooru grumbled, but then thought better of the question. “Nevermind. I don’t want to know.”

“It’s better if you don’t,” Tobio agreed.

They arrived at the younger’s apartment far too early for his liking. After the stressful, anxiety-inducing day they had just experienced, he wanted to spend more time with both of his soulmates. But alas, the blue-eyed boy’s uncle would kill them if they decided to go into Tobio’s apartment with him.

So, he settled for a tight hug at the door, burying his nose into the younger boy’s neck and mumbling, “We’ll see you tomorrow, Tobio-chan.”

Tobio returned the hug gently. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow as well.”

Once they let go of each other, Hajime leaned in to kiss the blue-eyed boy on the cheek. “Bye, Tobio.”

Both of them were rewarded by a pretty blush before the pianist closed the door, a small smile playing on his pouty lips.

And regardless of how mortifying it had been to meet his soulmate’s guardians, Tooru thought it was completely worth it if he could see that smile everyday for the rest of his life. 

From that beaming smile the older boy wore, he was sure Hajime agreed as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaaki is more subtle than Akihiro. Doesn't mean he's any less threatening or protective though.
> 
> This was a more light-hearted chapter, but just as important. It was more fluffy towards the end, but I live for IwaOiKage fluff.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


	129. Chapter One-Hundred Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobio blinked, nodding once he realized he had yet to explain anything to them. “I meant that, when you two are using the pedals, you’re either pressing too hard or too soft.”
> 
> “Does it really matter if we use the pedal at all, though?” Iwaizumi-san asked. “I can’t really tell the difference to when I’m using it and to when I’m not.”
> 
> “You can’t?” he blurted, eyes widening in shock.
> 
> “No, I can’t,” Iwaizumi-san confirmed, tilting his head in curiosity and confusion.

“Hey, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san breathed, nuzzling his neck as the older boy hugged him from behind. “Why did you decide to get piercings?”

All of three of them were at the setter’s house, their piano lessons taking place as usual. Except, it was not the usual at all. Now that they were...dating—kind of—his soulmates had taken to touching him a lot more as the other played.

He did not mind. In fact, he enjoyed it. But it felt inappropriate for them to touch each other so much in Oikawa-san’s home, where his mother and father lived. So, Tobio declared that they would only be allowed to do so if there was no one else in the house besides them.

Today was one of those days. And his soulmates had taken full advantage of the fact.

He was pretty sure that there had not been one instance in which neither of his soulmates had  _ not _ been touching him in some way. Whether it was hugging, holding hands, nuzzling him, they were always touching him.

“A whim,” he answered, focusing on Iwaizumi-san as the spiker played the chords to Moonlight Sonata, an intermediate version.

Once both of them were able to play the first and second movement at an amateur level, he had replaced the music sheets with an intermediate version. It had more notes to play and it required them to use the pedal as well, which seemed to be causing the two of them some trouble. Neither Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san were able to adjust to keeping the rhythm with their fingers and remembering when to press or release the pedal.

Granted, pedalling was not really necessary for Moonlight Sonata, but it would make the piece sound less dry. Half-pedalling, pressing down on the sustain pedal so that the dampers only lightly touch the strings, would create a richer tone without blurring the sound.

With his soulmates, they either pressed the pedal too hard or not at all.

“I think we need to slow down,” he declared, standing up and startling Oikawa-san with the abrupt movement. “You two are overusing and underusing the pedals.”

“Isn’t that contradictory?” Oikawa-san questioned.

“No.”

Iwaizumi-san, who had stopped playing to listen to him, turned to look at him with an amused, fond expression. “You have to elaborate more on what you mean, Tobio.”

Tobio blinked, nodding once he realized he had yet to explain anything to them. “I meant that, when you two are using the pedals, you’re either pressing too hard or too soft.”

“Does it really matter if we use the pedal at all, though?” Iwaizumi-san asked. “I can’t really tell the difference to when I’m using it and to when I’m not.”

“You can’t?” he blurted, eyes widening in shock.

“No, I can’t,” Iwaizumi-san confirmed, tilting his head in curiosity and confusion.

He was stumped. Utterly stumped.

He had no idea what to do with that knowledge. For as long as he could remember, Tobio had always been able to differentiate between the sounds. It was as natural to him as breathing, and he had never realized that there were people who could not.

“Why?” Oikawa-san asked. “Is that a problem?”

“Um...no?” he tried, struggling to find the words. “I mean...it’s important, but…” He furrowed his brows and clenched his fists, frustrated by his inability to explain it. “I-I...don’t...know how to teach that.”

Tobio was so frustrated. He felt so helpless. He was supposed to be teaching them. How was he supposed to do that when he did not even know how to solve such an important problem?

Iwaizumi-san, without hesitation, immediately stood up to draw him into a hug. “It’s fine if you don’t know, Tobio,” the older boy soothed him, pulling him down to the couch so that Tobio was straddling him.

He buried his head into the crook of the spiker’s neck. “‘M sorry,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have to apologize, Tobio,” Iwaizumi-san reassured him. “You’ve been a great teacher so far. Not being able to explain one thing is fine.”

“No, it’s not,” he argued. “I’m the one who told you I would teach you, but I can’t do that if I can’t even explain that.”

“We’re not going to blame you for that, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa-san joined, and he could feel the setter petting his head.

“Well, you should,” he stated.

He should  _ know _ this. Should know how to explain it. His first two years of learning the piano had been spent perfecting every aspect of technique. Hour spent practicing and practicing, and he did not even know how to explain  _ this _ .

How pathetic was that?

He said as much, earning disapproving sounds from his soulmate in response. “It’s not pathetic,” Oikawa-san chided him. “It’s normal. It’d be pretty scary if you knew everything there was to know about the piano, Tobio-chan.”

“I should know enough to teach you.”

“And you have been teaching us,” Iwaizumi-san stated. “Do you not see how much we’ve improved in only a few months?”

“...”

“You’ve been the best teacher,” Oikawa-san agreed. “Even if you’re like a demon sometimes, Tobio-chan.”

“...I’m not a demon,” he grumbled, pouting a bit into Iwaizumi-san's neck.

“I said you’re  _ like _ a demon,” the setter corrected. “You’re too cute to be a demon.”   
  


“I told you not to call me cute.”   
  


“But you’re very cute, Tobio,” Iwaizumi-san said. “Right now, for instance. It’s adorable how you’re clinging to me.”

He immediately pushed away, scowl twisting onto his lips at the teasing tone of the older’s voice. Tobio failed, however, because Iwaizumi-san locked his arms around his waist. 

A grin stretched across the spiker’s face. “Don’t be embarrassed. We like that you’re so cute.”

“Well, I  _ don’t _ like being called cute,” he retorted, deliberately ignoring the heat rushing to his cheeks.

“Would you rather be called pretty, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa-san questioned, a mischievous smile playing at his lips. “‘Cause you’re blushing  _ very _ prettily right now.”

“I already know I’m pretty,” he responded shamelessly.

His soulmates gaped at him, bursting into laughter only a second later. “Yes. You’re very pretty, Tobio,” Iwaizumi-san agreed. “Beautiful, even. So much that I want to kiss you right now. Can I?”

His face was burning. “You’ve never asked before!”

“On the lips,” the spiker clarified.

Embarrassed, he sputtered. They had kissed each other before, but they have yet to actually kiss each other on the lips—Mostly on his part, because Tobio would have been too overwhelmed if their relationship was moving that fast.

Several moments of silent anticipation passed before he eventually nodded, small and barely noticeable. But Iwaizumi-san noticed, because a heartbeat later, the spiker had a hand on his nape as he pushed Tobio’s head down to meet his lips.

They were soft and warm, dry and slightly chapped. He felt like he was floating, light headed and butterflies fluttering in his stomach as his heart beat a mile per minute. 

It took several moments before they parted, and Tobio opened his eyes to see an overjoyed smile blossoming on the older boy’s lips.

“Again,” Iwaizumi-san breathed.

“No fair, Iwa-chan! I want to kiss Tobio-chan, too,” Oikawa-san whined.

And Tobio was filled with so much happiness that he could not help the smile stretching at his lips. He felt warm and safe and happy, and he found himself wishing to experience this feeling many, many more times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating yesterday. I had a lot of homework so I didn't have a chance to write.
> 
> After the stress that was the last few chapters, I decided to give you all some fluff. Like, actual fluffy fluff. So, this was what came out of that decision.
> 
> Also, since the confession scene happened with only Tooru present, I figured it was only fair that Hajime got the first kiss on the lips from Tobio.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	130. Chapter One-Hundred Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It hurt his pride to admit, but Semi-san was probably the only person he knew who could figure out what to do with Iwaizumi-san’s inability to differentiate sounds. He remembered the older boy mentioning that he had difficulty with differentiating in the past, and that he had to do...something to improve it or whatever.

“I need a favor,” he stated, calling the only person he knew who could help him.

_ “No way in hell,”  _ came the immediate reply.

He scowled. Of course the asshole would respond that way. “You don’t even know what I’m asking a favor for!” he protested.

_ “Knowing you? Nothing but trouble,”  _ Semi-san stated.

“It’ll barely take a minute!”

He could practically see the violinist crossing his arms.  _ “Like I’m going to trust you. Last time you asked me for a favor, we almost ended up in jail.” _

“That was your fault!” he argued. “You’re the one who punched the kid!”

_ “He hit me first!” _

“Whatever,” he grumbled. “Are you going to help me or not?”

It hurt his pride to admit, but Semi-san was probably the only person he knew who could figure out what to do with Iwaizumi-san’s inability to differentiate sounds. He remembered the older boy mentioning that he had difficulty with differentiating in the past, and that he had to do...something to improve it or whatever.

_ “Depends. What are you willing to give me in exchange?”  _ the violinist said.

“What do you want?” he asked.

_ “Listen to my recordings,”  _ Semi-san stated.

Confusion, clear and evident, surged through him. “I’m already doing that?”

Due to their different schedules—Semi-san with his volleyball practice and Tobio with teaching his soulmates—they were not able to meet up as frequently as they wanted to to practice for their duet. As a way to amend that problem, they had taken to recording their playing and sending it to the other to practice with. 

Of course, meeting up and playing together was more preferable, but it worked well enough, in his opinion. He was able to match his playing to Semi-san’s and was able to get a clear idea about when to adjust to the violinist.

_ “My other recordings, stupid. I’ve been...off lately. I need a second opinion.” _

“You’re part of Violin Sonata sounds fine, though?” he questioned.

It was more than fine. Other than the occasional too-harsh tone for such a delicate piece, Semi-san had managed to balance the mixture of light and darkness present in the sonata. His technique was as amazing as always and the most challenging part, the subtleties in notation, were executed with great control.

_ “I wouldn’t mess up something like that,” _ the older boy snapped, irritation overflowing through the phone.  _ “ My own compositions...I’m having trouble with the tone and other things.” _

“Oh. Okay,” he agreed. If that was all the violinist was asking, it was easy enough to accomplish.

_ “Great. So what’s your favor?” _

“How do you teach someone to differentiate sounds on the piano? Like, the difference between using pedals and not using pedals.”

_ “Why? I know for a fact you don’t have this problem.” _

“It’s for someone else. Just answer the question.”

_ “It’s nothing difficult, really. Just have the person play the piece without pedals for a few days or weeks. After they adjust to that, have them start using the pedals. They’ll be so used to hearing the piece without pedals that they won’t be able to help but notice the subtle changes with pedals.” _

“Oh. That makes sense.”

_ “Who is this for, anyways?” _

“A person,” he answered. “Thank you very much for your help, Semi-san,” he said, forgetting that the other boy could not see him and bowing his head.

Without waiting for a response, he hung up the call. 

He felt proud and satisfied that he was able to get the answer to solving Iwaizumi-san’s problem. It was good that he was able to help his soulmates. Good that he was able to teach them as he promised them he would.

Moreover, it had only been at the cost of having to listen to some of Semi-san’s playing—although, he would not exactly classify it as a cost. When they were younger, the compositions the older boy created were always simple but full of emotion and difficult techniques. He was looking forward to seeing how much the violinist’s compositions have changed in the past three years. 

♚♚♚

“I figured out how to solve your problem,” Tobio declared, looking at his soulmates with concern.

Apparently, practice had been particularly excruciating that day. He had his suspicions when it had been Hanako-san had been the one to greet him rather than Oikawa-san, who was usually the one to welcome him into the home with a bright smile. Those suspicions were only confirmed when he was greeted by the sight of two absolutely exhausted players sprawled across the couch.

“Problem?” Iwaizumi-san questioned, groaning as he tried to sit up. His expression contorted with pain.

“For you not being able to hear the difference in using the pedals or not,” he clarified.

“Oh,” his soulmate responded, slumping back onto the couch.

It was incredibly concerning. Especially considering how  _ quiet _ Oikawa-san was. The setter had not even uttered a word since he had arrived. Were it not for the fact that small groans escaped his lips with every subtle shift in movement, he would have thought the brown-haired boy was asleep.

“I think I should go home for today,” he stated, frowning at their tired forms.

“What? Why?” Oikawa-san demanded, sitting up too abruptly and face contorting with pain as his sore muscles protested the movement.

  
“You two are exhausted,” he stated. “And it’s better if you two rest.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to leave,” Iwaizumi-san argued, patting the space between himself and Oikawa-san. “Come here.”

Tobio obliged, plopping onto the couch and easily accepting the arms immediately wrapping themselves around his waist.

“I can feel my exhaustion just draining away already,” the spiker murmured, the older boy kissing along the column of his neck.

Oikawa-san hummed an agreement, leaning his entire weight onto Tobio’s side.

He huffed. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, despite the butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

Iwaizumi-san mumbled something incoherent before asking, “How did you figure out how to solve my problem, anyways, Tobio?”

“I asked Semi-san,” he stated.

Oikawa-san suddenly jerked up, staring at him with narrowed eyes. “Semi...as in Shiratorizawa’s third-year setter?”

Tobio nodded. “He’s the only person I know that I could ask.”

Iwaizumi-san, who had stopped his display of affection, was frowning, staring at him with unusually serious eyes. “Do you talk to Semi often, Tobio?”

He nodded again. “We have a duet coming up. I talk to him at least every other day.”

Tobio frowned when he felt a...bitter? feeling echo through the bond. He did not know how to describe it, but it was strange. A bit like envy, but not quite.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, taking note of their sudden silence.

“It’s nothing, Tobio,” Iwaizumi-san reassured him, stroking his back.

But he was not fooled. Something was clearly wrong. And he did not miss the way his soulmates exchanged glances with each other, as though having a silent conversation—one that he was clearly not privy to.

He felt his throat closing up a bit.

And if he tensed a bit more when they resumed their affections, neither of his soulmates noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I was just getting used to writing fluff, too. It's a pity, really (not it's not). 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Look forward to some angst in upcoming updates.


	131. Chapter One-Hundred Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had wanted to stop. 
> 
> He had been unable to stop.
> 
> And now, he was balancing on an edge. On a single foot. Entire body already tilting into the abyss.

He should stop.

It was an unhealthy mindset to have and it made him paranoid. He wanted to stop.

But it was impossible to stop once he started. It began with small, trivial things. Like his soulmates knowing each other’s orders at a specific restaurant when the three of them went on a date. Or buying each other’s favorite brand of chips or drinks from the school vending machine. And then he began noticing bigger, more important things. Like the way Oikawa-san would lean against Iwaizumi-san whenever he was stressed. Or how Iwaizumi-san would grasp the setter’s hand on his own, rubbing his thumb across knuckles, when he was particularly upset.

He should stop.

  
After all, he had already known about this when he agreed to their relationship. When he released the wall he had built against them three years ago.

But he could not stop. After he began noticing, he noticed more and more. And it piled into stacks of observation in his mind. Grew into heaps of analysis and overthinking. It became mountains upon mountains of uncertainty and doubts. Until all the information he had accumulated threatened to teeter—crush him beneath its weight.

He had wanted to stop. 

He had been unable to stop.

And now, he was balancing on an edge. On a single foot. Entire body already tilting into the abyss.

* * *

“What are you listening to, Kageyama?” Kindaichi asked him, head tilted in curiosity as the wing spiker glanced between him and the notebook he was currently writing in.

“Some compositions,” he answered, attention completely focused on the music.

When Semi-san had asked him to review some of his compositions, he had not thought that the violinist meant over thirty of them. He did not have much time to listen because of school, his own practice, and piano lessons for Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san, so he had resorted to listening to them during his lunchtime.

He had only made it through four of them.

So far, all of them were decent. Nothing too extraordinary, but something expected of someone of the violinist’s caliber: arranged well, executed with masterful technique, a pleasing melody, and colorful tones.

Reviewing them had been harder than he had expected, though. For one, the recordings that Semi-san had sent them were not labeled at all. He had to go through dozens of music sheets that the violinist had mailed him in order to match the notes to the song. For two, it seemed as though the older boy had been experimenting with different sounds and techniques. It threw him off how soft the music sounded one second and how harsh it was the next.

Most challenging, however, was trying to figure out the emotions behind the songs. It was confusing because it seemed as though Semi-san, himself, did not know what emotions he was feeling.

“Yours?” Kunimi questioned.

“An acquaintance’s,” he corrected, eye twitching at another unclear note.

In his notebook, he wrote the word, “DISORIENTING,” in messy, bold scrawls. The song constantly shifted between delicate and aggressive, dark and light, and there was no balance whatsoever. And it was not a problem with the composition, but the playing.

Honestly, he was worried at this point. Semi-san seemed to be in a constant state of fluctuating emotions and it was clearly affecting him if it showed in his music.

“If you don’t like it, why are you listening to it?” Kunimi questioned.

“What?” he asked absentmindedly, writing more notes into the book.

“You’re scowling,” the sleepy-eyed boy stated. “And you’re furrowing your brows more than usual.”

“Oh...I’m returning a favor from Semi-san…”

“Semi-san, as in, Shiratorizawa’s third-year setter?” Kindaichi blurted.

“Uh-huh,” he grunted, wincing at another harsh transition.

Seriously, something was wrong. Semi-san would never make this many mistakes if he was in a normal condition. 

“Is that why Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san were on edge practice this morning?” Kunimi wondered.

Having had enough of the music, he paused the recording and removed his earbuds, storing them safely in his pocket. “What are you talking about?” he inquired.

“The captains were frowning a lot,” Kindaichi told him. “And Oikawa-san’s serves were a lot harder than usual, but with no accuracy at all.”

“That’s strange,” he muttered.

But then he remembered their weird behavior these past few days. It was not strange for them to show physical affection towards him, but something about the way their touches lately was more...aggressive? No, that was not quite the right word for it...

“It was a nightmare for the team,” Kindaichi continued, shuddering as he recalled the memory.

“You should talk to them,” Kunimi suggested.

And so he did.

When he visited the Oikawa household that day, Tobio asked his soulmates, “Um... are you two upset about something?”

Oikawa-san, who had been playing the piano, stopped. And Iwaizumi-san, who had him trapped in a hug, his back to the older’s chest, tensed.

“Why do you think we’re upset, Tobio-chan?” The words came out bright, a cheerful smile plastered on the setter’s lips. But Tobio knew better. Could feel the undercurrent of uneasiness through their bond. Could feel the tension in Iwaizumi-san’s arms as the spiker held him closer.

“You two have been acting weird,” he replied. “Kunimi and Kindaichi told me how you were on edge during practice today.”

“We were just tired,” Iwaizumi-san mumbled, kissing along the column of his neck.

Again, there was that aggressiveness (?) in his touch. 

Although he knew they were not lying, they were still hiding something from him. Both of them. He sensed it in the way uncertainty seeped through from both ends.

“Don’t lie,” he scowled.

“I’m not lying,” the spiker defended.

Oikawa-san nodded his head. “Iwa-chan and I were up late studying last night. We have a test coming up in a few days.”

Something twisted in his stomach, seeing how quick the setter was to come to Iwaizumi-san defense.

Looking at the firm set of the setter’s jaw and the steely resolve in Iwaizumi-san eyes, it was clear they were not going to tell him any time soon.

He felt cold.

Why would they not tell him?

Did he do something wrong?

Or...is it a secret between the two of them? Something he was not privy to?

Tobio saw himself teetering further into the abyss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I keep torturing myself?
> 
> Miscommunication...stubborness...insecurities...All of it spells a disaster for a relationship. The situation will escalate soon, so be prepared. It'll only last a few chapter. Probably three more max before it's resolved.
> 
> I promise I'll explain Tooru and Hajime's perspective at some point. It isn't just them being stubborn assholes.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> I wasn't able to post yesterday because of homework. I procrastinated too much and had to rush to write a 4-minute speech for AP Lang and Comp.


	132. Chapter One-Hundred Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was pacing around his living.
> 
> Following the violinist’s advice, he invited his soulmates to his apartment Sunday afternoon. He was determined to talk to the two of them and sort out whatever it was that was upsetting them—he was pretty sure it had something to do with him, regardless of what they were telling him.

Semi-san grimaced as he reviewed the notes Tobio handed him only minutes ago, frown deepening with every flip of a page.

It was one of the rare instances when they were able to meet each other, and had decided to rent a small studio so that they could practice—Or, that was what they were supposed to be doing. But the violinist worried him so much with his compositions that he could not help but bring it up.

“I didn’t expect it to be this bad,” Semi-san grumbled.

“Did you even listen to them before you sent them to me?” he asked. Tobio doubted that the other boy would have sent any of them had he known they were so...chaotic.

“No,” the other boy muttered, proving him right when he added, “I would’ve rather died than send it to you if I’d known they’re this bad.”

He furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong with you?” he questioned, blunt.

Semi-san was a meticulous person. He made sure that what he presented was to the best of his abilities. Anything less, in his own words, was insulting and disgraceful. 

The older boy sighed, waving away his concern. “Nothing important. Just a fight with my soulmates.”

“Soulmates,” he blurted, catching the plurality of it.

Having more than one soulmate was rare—less than ten percent—and he had never met anyone else who had multiple soulmates.

Semi-san visibly tensed, shooting a narrow-eyed, cautioning glare at him. “Why? You got a problem with that?”

“ _ No _ ,” he vehemently denied.

Although society has evolved in their mindset towards people with more than one soulmate, there were still the occasional person who found it appropriate to scorn them. Greedy and selfish were among the tamer insults thrown their way.

“I have two soulmates, you know,” he added when the older boy continued staring at him with narrow eyes.

“You do?” Semi-san questioned before his eyes widened in shock. “Wait—Are they the captains from Seijoh? That makes  _ so _ much more sense now!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but yes, they are my soulmates,” he confirmed. “So what’s the problem with yours?”

Semi-san scowled. “My soulmates are not a problem,” the older boy stated, protectiveness in his tone. 

Tobio rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Like I said, it’s nothing.”

“You made me listen through that horrendous music for nothing?” he questioned.

“It wasn’t  _ horrendous _ ,” Semi-san seethed.

He gave the violinist a deadpan stare.

Both of them engaged in a silent battle, refusing to look away or blink. After several moments of just staring, Semi-san eventually lost, scowling as he looked away.

“ _ Fine _ ,” the violinist hissed. “It was horrible. My worst playing ever. Happy?”

“If you tell me  _ why _ it was so horrible, I will,” he answered.

Sighing, the older relented, shoulders sagging in defeat. “You’re insufferable.”

“I know. Now, tell me,” he demanded. 

Semi-san huffed, muttering a “So bossy,” before saying, “I keep arguing with my soulmates.”

“Who are your soulmates?”   
  
“Wakatoshi Ushijima and Tsutomu Goshiki,” was the reply.

“Ah.” He knew of Wakatoshi Ushijima—anyone who played volleyball in the prefecture did—but this ‘TsutomuGoshiki’ was unfamiliar to him. Tobio figured it was someone on his team.

“Most of the time,” Semi-san continued, “we don’t even know what we’re fighting about. It’s just...yelling and insults being thrown at each other.”

There was something in the way the older boy’s eyes pinched at the corners, the tight line pulling at his lips, and the furrows on his forehead that told Tobio… “You know why you’re fighting, don’t you,” he asked softly.

“...I told them I wouldn’t be playing volleyball after high school,” the violinist sighed. “Both of them are crazy about volleyball and they didn’t take the news well.”

“You’re planning to pursue music full-time,” Tobio guessed.

A single nod.

“Isn’t that their problem?” he asked bluntly.

A shocked, “Huh?” was what he received in response.

“It’s your life. It’s your choice. What you pursue in the future, I mean,” he stated. “Just because they’re your soulmates doesn’t mean they can judge that.”

“It’s more complicated than that!” Semi-san insisted. “Tsutomu—he’s only a first-year. He doesn’t have a lot in common with me besides volleyball, so it makes him anxious that I’m quitting.”

“A relationship can survive without common interests, though,” he pointed out.

“Well, you’re not wrong, but—”   
  


“But what?” he questioned. “Just like volleyball is their passion, music is yours. It’s hypocritical that they’re upset about that.”

“Don’t you and your soulmates have this problem?” Semi-san asked. “It’s not that easy.”

“We don’t...have that...problem,” he said.

“Uh-huh,” the violinist gave him a look. “Very convincing.”

“It’s not that problem!” he exclaimed. And it was the truth. He and Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san never had a problem with common interests or things like that—had not been in a relationship long enough to have those problems. 

“Well, there’s clearly a problem,” Semi-san stated, crossing his arms. “And since I’ve spilled my secrets to you, it’s only fair you do the same.”

“It’s...more complicated than your situation,” he mumbled. “They...rejected me in junior high and-and we’ve only started a relationship a few weeks ago...”

“Continue,” the violinist ordered when he fell silent.

“They-they’ve known each other before they were even born...and they...always seem so perfect with each other. And I-I…”

“Feel like an outsider?” the older boy finished for him.

He released a shaky breath, giving a weak nod. Tobio had never said it out loud—too scared to. It was as though admitting it would make it reality and...he  _ really _ did not want to be an outsider in their relationship.

“I think you’re letting your insecurities get to you,” Semi-san told him.

“You don’t even know them.”

The older boy snorted. “Trust me. They fucking adore you. Just talk to them.”

“ _ You _ talk to  _ your _ soulmates,” he retorted.

He startled when Semi-san suddenly burst into laughter, and he could only stare, worried that the violinist had somehow lost his mind.

“S-sorry,” he wheezed. “It’s just...just…”

“Do you need to see a therapist?”

Semi-san waved his question away, clutching his stomach as he continued laughing. “Sorry,” the older boy said again. “It’s just...our situations are so stupid!”   
  


“Stupid?” he repeated, dumbfounded.

When the violinist managed to calm himself, he wiped tears from his eyes and explained, “If we just sat down and talked, I’m sure there would be a lot less problems with our relationships.”

“Oh.”

♚♚♚

He was pacing around his living.

Following the violinist’s advice, he invited his soulmates to his apartment Sunday afternoon. He was determined to talk to the two of them and sort out whatever it was that was upsetting them—he was pretty sure it had something to do with him, regardless of what they were telling him.

And-and he needed to tell them about his insecurities as well.

His nervous pacing was stopped short at the ring of a doorbell. Calming himself with deep breaths, he opened the door and attempted a shaky smile.

Tobio was greeted by the sight of bright smiles on both of his soulmates.

“Hello, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa-san chirped. 

“Good afternoon, Oikawa-san. Iwaizumi-san,” he returned politely, stepping to the side to allow them in. 

“So, why have you invited us here?” the setter asked. “Not that I mind, though. It’s an honor for you to be in my presence.”

Iwaizumi-san snorted, immediately wrapping him in arms and kissing his cheek. “Don’t listen to him,” the spiker grunted. “He was practically squealing with how happy he was.”

“I was not!” Oikawa-san vehemently denied, though the blush on his cheek told otherwise.

“You two should sit down,” he instructed. “I-I need to talk to you about something.”

“Alright,” Oikawa-san drawled suspiciously. 

He remained silent as he walked to the kitchen to get them some drinks, taking the time to calm his nerves a bit. 

“I can do this,” he murmured to himself. “I can do this. It’s just talking.”

But then again, he had never been great at—yeah, he was  _ not _ going to go down that train of thought.

He came back to the living room to find both of his soulmates leaning against an arm of the couch on both sides, legs laid across the length of the furniture and tangled with each other’s. Placing drinks and a piece of cake on the table, he took a seat directly across from them.

Oikawa-san, without hesitation, snatched the cake.

“Okay...so...um,” he began, wincing at his incoherent mumbling. “I-I wanted to talk to you two about something. It-it’s important.”

Iwaizumi-san nodded, expression encouraging him to continue. “We’re listening.”

“Yep!” Oikawa-san agreed, taking another bite of cake. He could not help but smile at the way the older’s face lit up.

“Oi,” Iwaizumi-san scowled, smacking the other third-year on the head. “Pay attention.”

“Ow! Iwa-chan, you brute,” the setter whined. “I can’t help it. The cake is so tasty. Where’d you get it, Tobio-chan?”   
  


“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. “I got it from Semi-san.”   
  


The violinist had a sweet tooth and always brought some sort of pastry to their meetings. It was annoying, in all honesty, considering the older boy never finished his snacks and always forced Tobio to take them home.

“From...Semi?” Oikawa-san repeated, voice strained.

Tobio frowned. “Yeah.”

“When did he give this to you?” the setter demanded, an undercurrent of bitterness surging through his end of the bond.

“Yesterday…” he answered hesitantly. “You’re upset. Why are you upset?”

“It’s nothing, Tobio-chan,” the setter said. But the cake he had been enjoying so wholehearted was put down with a glare.

“What is it?” he pressed. “I told you to come to my apartment so we could talk.”

“Like I said, it’s nothing,” Oikawa-san insisted.

  
“Stop being so stubborn and just tell me!”

“Why are you being so demanding?” 

“I’m not being demanding,” he argued. “I’m worried and I want to know why you two have been so upset!”

“I’m not upset!” Oikawa-san yelled.

“Yes, you are!”

“That’s enough, you two,” Iwaizumi-san ordered. “Both of you need to calm down! We didn’t come here to fight, Tooru.”

“Tobio-chan’s the one who started it!”

“Because you two won’t tell me anything!” 

“What is there to tell?”” Oikawa-san demanded. “I told you it was nothing.”

“Like I could believe that when I can feel how upset you are through the bond.”

“And what would you know how I’m feeling?” the setter sneered. “Half the time, you don’t even understand what you’re feeling.”   
  


“You’re not any  _ fucking _ better,” Tobio snapped. “You’re nothing but a coward! You’re so insecure about yourself that you almost hit someone two years younger than you!”   
  


A hurt expression crossed the setter’s face, but it was gone as quick as it came. Replaced by a condescending curl of his lips.

“You’ve gone too far, Tobio!” Iwaizumi-san yelled.

His heart stuttered—everything he had buried the past few days came boiling to the surface. Seeing Iwaizumi-san defending the setter...it brought him back to that moment in junior high. When the spiker rejected him while Oikawa-san watched on with cold eyes.

He exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be in Hajime's perspective. I stringed this along long enough, so it will probably be resolved in the next chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading this one.


End file.
